Midst of Heaven and Hell
by KiraHatesDresses
Summary: /YohxAnna/ After being disowned by her abusive landlord, fiveyearold Kyouyama Anna is taken under the wing of the Asakura family. Years later, she still carries the scar of being a shaman.. but then again.. so is Yoh. Reuploaded
1. Encounter

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Update Note (June 24, 2005): **ffnet removed the original story so right now I'm in the process of re-uploading it. Stats on the progress of chapter 7 can be viewed on my author page. (I haven't started it yet, by the way ;;)

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Author Notes:** Wow! I haven't written in a long time. Erm.. Since September-ish. So pretty much half a year! Ok. I got lazy and I somewhat lost interest in SK. (don't hit me!) For this lovely fic.. (if it ever gets posted up.) Thank **cherri-chan**, who somewhat motivated me with her awesome fic. I'm trying to catch up on all the good fics that I've missed during the half-year time period. At least I can't be bored now! OOC caution, as always. A fic can't be a fic without a little out of character-ness. Don't kill me for hurting Anna in the first bit. I really love her! She's one of the best female characters in all the anime I've seen. And trust me. That's a lot. 

**Thanks:** **cherri-chan**, **damouse** and **everyone** who had me on author alert/favourite author. I didn't think all of you would bother to watch my outdated fics. I'd also like to thank all the people like **apple-chan** who are still writing Shaman King fics after all this time. You guys are amazing! Also! Thanks to **Anne** for being a great help with a name that will be seen in the story.

**Fic Notes:** Right now, this fic takes place when Yoh and Anna were about 5 years old. That's right.. FIVE.. aww. wouldn't they be cute? Of course they won't always be five in this fic but I'll tell you when the time changes. This fic doesn't follow the anime much so.. no spoilers. Of course, if I do spoil something.. You have every right to through foods at me. BUT ONLY DOUGHNUTS! (So I can eat them.)

**Further Notes:** I seem to have a lot of these small notes. XD If you all are wondering, I WAS **KiraX105** but I decided to change my penname to **KiraX05 **to match my e-mail and other account names that have that.

**Start/End:** 030904 / 040404

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Midst of Heaven and Hell, Ch. 1

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Covered in cold sweat, Anna pulled the old covers over her head. Her breathes were short and quick as her heart pounded without stopping. The pictures ran through her mind like a vivid movie that could not be turned off.

"It was just a dream," she quietly reminded herself.

_'A dream that seemed so real..' _her mind echoed in defiance.

Her cheek still swelled with pain as she tried to swallow the fear inside her. With arms and legs covered in bruises, one would think she had experienced a nasty fall. Beyond her dark youthful eyes, she was a woman. She possessed knowledge that only those at the end of their lifetime would have. Though you wouldn't expect it from five-year-olds, Anna kept inside her, a painful secret.

She wasn't normal. And because she was different, she was targeted by the friends she thought she had, by the people she didn't even know and by everyone that couldn't understand her feelings. Why is it that mankind feels threatened by the supernatural? Why must they end it over assumption?

Footsteps were heard behind the wooden door and Anna hid in deeper underneath her thin blanket. The door opened with a quick motion and a man stepped in noisily.

"Stop making those banging noises! The whole house can hear it!" He angrily yelled.

Anna bit her lip as she apologized slowly. She knew it wasn't her fault, but it had become a habit to her. Through experimenting, she realized that saying "I'm sorry." would instantly stop all yelling and would bring satisfaction to the yeller as it proved that they were right. The words would roll out of her tongue before she even knew it.

"You better BE sorry!" He screamed as he slammed the door. As the echoing of the door stopped, Anna caught mumblings behind the door. "Stupid girl. No wonder her parents left her. A complete nuisance."

Although Anna didn't understand what a 'nuisance' was, she gathered it wasn't a pleasant word to use. Without much choice, Anna was forced to stay here with slim servings of food and 2 pairs of one piece pyjamas. After her parents left her without notice, she was taken care of by the old landlord. She knew it was to keep quiet about her presence as most of the townspeople would stone her as soon as she was seen.

To the landlord, Anna was the scapegoat that was put to blame for everything that went wrong in the small building. Though even the landlord feared Anna's abnormality, he denied that it existed and continued to treat her like a disowned rag.

"Old fart." She muttered under her breath. She laid back down on her hard futon and closed her eyes. Images of her reoccurring nightmare rushed through her mind. Rocks were tossed at her without remorse. The faces of the people filled with a mix of both anger and fear. The taste of blood in her mouth as her lips bled. The painful bruises over her body that held her back from running away. The scars she had continued to carry with each encounter she had with them. She remembered everything. She could feel everything.

Anna shook her head vigorously, trying to rid herself of the horrible images that plagued her. She reached for her one and only friend in the world and held it close to her chest. It was a stuffed bear, formerly glossed in white but time aged it's coat to a dirty grey. Not that it mattered to her anyways. After watching an older girl through away her childhood things in an attempt to mature herself, Anna took the bear in her care. They both shared the same circumstance that brought them together -- Being abandoned by their owners.

Fozzie. That's what she called him by. She never knew why she chose that name.. But after hearing it just once, it seemed to have a certain ring to it.

Cuddling Fozzie in her arms, she fell silent and into a restful sleep.

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The door squeaked as it opened without any respect for the sleeping girl inside. A tray of food was brought to the floor with haste, swaying it's contents to the edge. A small bag containing coins and bills was tossed beside it. 

"Get up. Eat. After that, run these chores. I gave out the exact amount so you won't have change left to steal." The landlord spoke as he tossed a small list at the foot of her futon, "Remember to take that mask there. Wouldn't want anyone to see your disgraceful face when you're outside."

Anna groaned as she unwillingly got up. It couldn't have been earlier than 11 in the morning. She was famished since last night but ignored the growls of her stomach. She bit into the dried toast and drank the glass of orange juice sparingly, savouring each gulp of sweetness before swallowing it. The landlord began to clap with impatience as he yelled, "Hurry up. I haven't got all day with you!"

Pulling on a sack with 2 eyeholes over her head (which the landlord considered as a mask), Anna grabbed the list and read it:

_Buy a 10lbs sack of rice._

_Buy two loaves of white bread._

_Return by 11:46AM sharp._

"GO! GO! GO!" The man snapped with fury as he pointed out the door.

Shaken with fear, Anna ran out the door and climbed down the stairs. With her limited vision, she could barely see the door handle above her. Standing on her toes, she pushed the lever and with a few tries, she successfully opened the door.

The smell of the old bag was washed away into the winds as a new spring breeze arrived. If the townspeople didn't recognize her face, she would have chose to embrace the winds directly. She silently cursed to herself as she started to run. Anna caught a few odd glances at her direction. She couldn't blame them, after all she wouldn't help it too if a person with a smelly old sack over their heads ran past her. She was used to it all. The glances.. the stares.. the scattered laughter as she ran past.. the pointing.. the taunting...

Tears built up in her eyes as her legs picked up speed. How she wished she could escape from it all..

She closed her eyes as her feet continued to travel across the empty sidewalk. She would have shut her eyes tight if she didn't feel a searing pain in her head.

"Are you alright?" A kind male voice asked as they lowered a hand. "You bumped into me pretty hard. Almost had me down on my feet."

"I'm ok." Anna mumbled as she got on her feet by herself. She began to walk off when he held her shoulder.

"Wait a minute. I'm sorry I bumped into you. Tell you what, I own a bakery just down the direction you were running towards. How about a nice treat on the house for that accident?" The young man smiled.

Anna looked at his face and noticed a sincere expression on his face. He was much younger than the landlord and a little younger than the father she had.

"I don't know..." She started as she dusted herself off.

"Come on! I bet you could use a little food. There's no poison! Can't have customers eating that!" He chuckled.

The word, 'poison' was new to Anna and she resolved to later on look it up in an old dictionary in her small room. She nodded slowly in response and soon enough they walked down the street together.

When they arrived, the blonde girl couldn't help but gasp in awe.

"You own this?" The words tumbled out without control.

The man chuckled, "I guess I do. But it's that big of a deal." He opened the door as he made a gesture for her to enter. "What would you like to have? You can choose how many and whatever you want of whatever you see."

Anna looked around and for the second time that day, she gasped in shock. Inside, there were columns and columns of pastries, cakes, buns and other various types of baked goods. She didn't recall ever seeing this much food in her whole 5 years of life! In the end, she chose a jelly-filled doughnut and a chocolate covered sweet roll. The man asked her if that was all and placed the goods inside a paper bag.

"Thanks, mister!" she cried as she was handed the small brown package.

He chuckled once more and pointed at the sack on her head, "I don't suppose you'll take that off now, will you?"

Anna shook her head furiously and bowed quickly as she ran out the door. As much as she was happy that this person treated her with respect, she feared the worse if he knew her identity.

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After buying the stuff that the landlord wanted, Anna hid the pastries under her shirt. She crossed her fingers in hopes that they weren't found out as she opened the door of her refuge. 

"You're late." A cold voice said sternly.

"I'm sorry," she said in a quiet voice. She let the items drop on the floor as she clutched her shirt tightly.

"No, you ain't!" He yelled, "What's that you got there? Something you stole?"

Anna gripped the pastries tight as she protested, "I didn't steal anything!"

"My ass. What's the matter? Too poor to actually buy something?" He crept closer to her, raising a small fist.

"...No..." was the meek reply.

"Gimme that!" the landlord snatched the paper bag from under her shirt and examined its contents. "What is this? Pastries? I was right! You did steal it! And from the most famous bakery in the whole country! How did you do this?"

"He.. gave it to me..." Anna cried as she reached for the brown bag. "Give it back! It's not yours!"

"This," he pointed, "Isn't yours, either. Get your ass up to your room. Not one little squeak or ELSE!" The landlord took the jelly-filled doughnut and bit into it, "Ah.. only the best could have done this well of a job." He glared at Anna, who seemed almost to be glaring at him. "I said, go to your room now! Didn't your parents teach you to respect your manners? Oh wait! I've forgotten.. your parents decided to abandon a brat like you! And I can see why too. A nuisance! That's what you are!"

For the first time, Anna stood her ground, "No. Not until you give it back. It's not yours. The owner gave them to me." A twinge of aggression overwhelmed her. A glow of light began to form around the girl as her fists tightened.

"...Wha--What's happening?" He cried as he dropped the package and scurried towards the wall on the opposite end. She couldn't control it.. It was some sort of dominating power that couldn't be stopped. What was happening to her?

A head-like figure began to float above Anna and almost began to humanize in to a physical form. The glow began to become brighter as the figure grew in shape. She couldn't feel anything but anger surging in her veins. She wanted to make him pay... make him pay for everything she was forced to do... for everything he said about her and her parents... for everything! He didn't have a right to say anything about her. What did he know? How would he felt if he had suffered like she did?

As the figure became more defined, Anna was having a hard time trying to stand up. Something was draining her energy. Before it was fully complete, she collapsed on the floor and was unconscious.

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_'It hurts.. My head hurts... Everything.. hurts... Something's.. tight around my wrists... It hurts.. I can't move it... Why can't my body move? Why does it hurt so much...?'_

Birds chirped above her as she slowly opened her eyes to morning's glow. Her wrists were securely tied to the dusty pipes beside her.

_'I must be in the basement...'_

Anna tugged at the ropes, hoping that it could loosen them enough for her to free herself. An itch tingled under her nose and before she could stop it, she sneezed into the dusty air. When she recomposed herself, she noticed a sharp edge further down the pipe. Quickly yet quietly, Anna slid the ropes down and began to cut the knot off. The ropes eventually loosened and fell through her tiny wrists.

She spotted a fire escape that lead outside and without hesitating, she climbed the creaky ladder and opened the window that finally led to freedom.

Her legs walked on along the pathway, without direction or a destination to reach. She couldn't stay here any longer. If someone saw her… it would be impossible to run away the next time.

"Why…" She whispered to herself, looking up to where her legs have led her.

It was the bakery of the man that she ran into yesterday. This time, it was a young boy around her age choosing his own treats to take home. _'Maybe he doesn't have a mean landlord that takes things away from him..'_

Anna continued to stare inside the window at the young boy who seemed to be equally surprised about the number of baked goods as she was yesterday. The man Anna met yesterday didn't seem to be running the shop today. A younger woman watched the boy as he made his choices. The small girl gasped in front of the windowsill when the boy chose the two same exact pastries as she did.

A few heads turn to see where the gasp was from.

A older man chuckled, "What's the matter little girl? Haven't seen that big a bakery? Can't blame ya.. It's the biggest one in this country, I'll bet!"

Anna whizzed around, "Really?"

"Yo-You-Your…." The man suddenly stuttered, "…The... demon… raiser…" His faced etched with complete fear as his feet stumbled. He fell to the floor reaching for a rock. "GET OUT OF HERE, YOU DEVIL OF A CHILD!"

Other heads began to turn around for a closer look and all of them had the same look in their eyes --- Fear.

Anna suddenly realized that her face was revealed since she left and without telling her legs what to do next, she ran north of the town as fast as her legs could carry her. More and more people begin to realize who she was and began to toss anything that was in their sights – Rocks, pebbles, stone, pencils… anything.

And this time… she had no home to run back to.

The crowds ran faster, carrying the throwing fragments with them, tossing them as she ran further ahead.

_'Why..'_

_'Why… am I the only one?'_

_'Why am I the only demon raiser?'_

_'Why… am I the only one being targeted like this?'_

_'Why… WHY… me…'_

The forest was only a few meters away and in there, it would be harder for the townspeople to find her. Picking up her pace, the girl ran into the forest and quickly made a few sharp turns to lose her chasers. Her feet ached with each step she took but she couldn't breathe easy yet. Anna quickly climbed up the largest tree she could see and hid under the thick leaves. The crowds ran past her location, roaring with fury as they headed deeper into the forest.

Slowly, her racing heart slowed down as she sighed in relief. "That was close… I should stay here just in case they come back this way."

"Oiiii!" a voice below cried.

Anna gasped as she held on to the branches. _'No! Someone's down there… Is he with the townspeople? Did they get him to come after me? But that voice… he doesn't sound very old.'_

"I'm not with the townspeople and no one sent me out here," the voice added.

The girl peaked over the spaces between the leaves and was shocked to find the same boy that was at the bakery earlier.

"How did you find me?"

"When the man threw the rock, he hit the window and the next thing I saw was you running away from him and the others. I just followed to see what was going on. But it's all over now right? You aren't hurt or anything… are you?"

"Why do you care about a demon raiser like me?" Anna hissed, "Aren't you going to throw something at me?"

The young boy was shocked at her harsh words but then realized that he had once shared the same feeling as she did. "Of course not. Why would I? I don't think you're a demon raiser… You're too cute to be one!"

Anna blushed slightly, but quickly shook if off before the boy could see, "What's your name?"

"Asakura Yoh. What's yours?"

"Kyouyama… Anna."

"Anna? That's a pretty name. It suits you really well," the dark-haired boy smiled, "Anyways, you must be hungry… running all the way from town… how about a bite to eat?" He pulled out a paper bag and reached for the jelly-filled doughnut.

Secretly admitting she was famished, Anna slowly climbed down to meet the boy face-to-face.

"Here," Yoh grabbed her hand and placed the pastry into her hand. He sat down and rested on the trunk, reaching for the remaining sweet roll. "Sit down beside me and we'll eat together!" He grinned, patting the spot of ground beside him.

Anna sat down and took a bite into her doughnut. Strawberry jelly filled the insides of her mouth and slid down her throat as she swallowed. "Mmmm.. This is delicious!"

Yoh laughed, "I'm glad you like it."

Anna nodded as she continued to finish the rest of her pastry. "Thank you for sharing with me."

'You're the first one that's ever done that…' she added in her mind. 

"Why aren't you eating yours?" Anna asked pointing to the roll in his hand.

"Oh.. well I just have to… erm… hold it for a while before I can eat it.. it tastes better.. that's all!" he chuckled nervously.

"But the chocolate's dripping on to your hand… are you sure it'll taste better like that?"

"I guess not.. aha.. haha.. Could you turn around.. for a second? Please?"

"Why?"

"Just for a second."

Anna reluctantly followed as she looked at him from the corner of her eye. Yoh dug out a small dark gravestone monument. For a split second, Anna thought she saw a white translucent figure appear from it but when she blinked, it was gone.

Yoh put the tiny structure back into his pocket and stuffed the sweet roll in his mouth. "Mmm! It _is_ good!"

"What was that thing you took out just now?"

"What?" he replied, slowly moving further away.

"What was that white thing that came out of it?"

"Y-you saw that!" Yoh asked frantically.

"Yeah. What was that? It was kinda white.. and it seemed to take shape of a human head."

The boy pulled out the monument again and placed in front of her. "Come out."

Slowly, the ghostly white figure rose again, but this time it asked, "Did you call, Yoh-dono?"

"It can talk!" Anna exclaimed.

"Mm. So you can see spirits… This is Amidamaru."

"Spirits…?"

"I didn't want you to see… because you would think I'm really weird… holding food out to a mini-gravestone for no reason. But if you can see spirits… That must mean…"

"I FOUND YOU!"

Anna and Yoh were startled at the sudden cry in front of them. Anna gasped and quickly hid behind the boy.

The landlord growled angrily, "So this is where you were… You stupid girl… The townspeople saw you enter this forest… To think you escaped from the basement! You're gonna get punished when I get you home. You're lucky I'm taking care of you! Especially when you're demon child! But I guess you don't appreciate that enough.. do you?"

"Please don't let him take me… I don't know what he'll do… I don't know what _I'll_ do!" Anna begged.

"Don't worry. Leave it to me… and Amidamaru!" Yoh gave her a reassuring smile as he stepped forward. A faint glow appeared on his fingertips and became more concentrated into his palm.

_'What's going on? Why does this look so familiar to what I did yesterday?'_ Anna wondered as she continued to watch the boy from behind. '_The same glow…'_

"Hito dama mode! …Hyoui Gattai!"

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**-(TBC)-**

Yeah. That was bad, wasn't it? Anyways. Comments, questions and criticism can all be done by reviewing or e-mailing.


	2. Arrival

**Author Notes: **Aww… 3 Thank you for the kind reviews everyone! I can't tell you how great they've made me feel. I hope this chapter can meet **at least **a half** a quarter** of your expectations. Erm. Hopefully.

**Thanks: **To** everyone **who took the time to click and read this little ficcy AND** everyone **who kindly reviewed the first chapter.

**Fic Notes: **I may have forgotten tidbits of important detail of SK but I think I'm pretty right. (Eep. Maybe.) If not, feel free to correct me.

**Start/End: **040504/040904

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Midst of Heaven and Hell, Ch. 2

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Anna watched as Yoh forcefully pushed the glowing orb from his hand into his body. Her eyes were completely fixated on him during the fusion. _'What… just happened? How did he… Why did he…'_

Her thoughts were cut off as the landlord chortled, "I don't know what you were doing just now boy, but the girl belongs to me. Run along now or you'll regret it."

"Anna is my friend. Judging by the way you were talking about her, you don't treat her very well do you?"

The landlord pointed in Anna's direction with his wooden cane, "Tell me then, how would you treat a dirty rag?"

"With love, care and respect, like all living things," Yoh simply replied, "I won't let you take Anna back if all you're going to do is treat her like she is nothing important."

The old man snorted, "She _is_ nothing important. Nothing special to the townspeople or anyone! She might as well be of some use to me by running all the chores in the place." He lifted his cane, as if it were a sword. He motioned Yoh to come forward and strike.

"Anna is important to me and I will protect her. You'd best not fight me with a heart as dark as yours. You can't win against me and Amidamaru."

"Who? You mean that stupid motion of yours back there? HA! Don't make me laugh. I'll teach you a good lesson and then I'll take my 'rag' back and give her something to think about the next time she decides to disobey me."

The landlord ran and swiped his cane at the younger boy. Anna closed her eyes. Why is he getting hurt for her sake? They've only met for less than 10 minutes and yet… there he was… fighting for her. Slowly, her eyes opened to see Yoh easily dodging the landlord's attacks.

Grumbling, the old man growled, "Why—you little… If my back was what it was used to be… You'd be in trouble boy!"

Yoh grinned, "But it isn't."

The landlord stroke his cane again and his fury rose each time he was unable to hit him. Yoh only added fuel to the man's raging fire by doing playful spins beside his weapon after each dodge.

Anna giggled softly as the young boy did ballerina turns during each miss. After a few more, she found it hard to contain her amusement and laughed loudly.

Yoh froze in his stance as he listened closely to her laughter. _'Now that expression suits her. A beautiful laugh to go along with a pretty face,'_ He thought to himself.

The boy grinned as he bent down to retrieve a fallen twig. "It's time to finish this."

The landlord panted as he rested on his cane, "A twig? You couldn't hurt me enough to finish me!"

"The twig won't hurt you. But _we_ will," Yoh replied. He spun halfway and sliced the wind in front of him.

"Shinkuu Buttagiri!"

A gust appeared in a shape of a crescent and headed towards the landlord.

The old man was startled at what had conjured and lost his footing. He fell to the floor and raised his arms to cover his face as he hurriedly moved backwards.

"HELP!" he cried at the last minute before being thrown back against the trunk of a tree. The landlord's body slowly slid to the floor motionless.

A glowing orb appeared from Yoh's chest and slowly drifted back into the black monument. Yoh placed the small twig on the floor and turned around to see Anna's emotionless face.

Reassuring her thoughts, Yoh replied, "He's only unconscious, he'll be up in a few minutes. But in the meantime… Why don't you come stay with my family and me? We'll treat you better than he ever will. If you saw Amidamaru, then you must be a shaman!"

"A shaman…?"

"One who binds this world and the next. They can talk to spirits and people directly. Though most people don't see the being a shaman a good thing, it's really not bad at all. My entire family are shamans, though they're a little different from one another."

"But… I can't just come and live with your family… wouldn't that be hard on them?"

"Not at all! Trust me. I know they won't turn you away. They can't!"

The blond-haired girl scrunched her face as she thought about life where people acknowledged, understood, and maybe even become proud of her difference. A life without wearing masks when taking a walk outside… without the fear of getting stoned… It seemed almost perfect…

It couldn't be that easily obtained, could it?

"We just met… How can you let me just… live with you?"

"Because… You deserve happiness."

Anna froze.

What was happiness? Was she happy with the landlord? Or was being happy receiving the baked goods from the kind man yesterday? Maybe happiness was just a word. Maybe it doesn't even exist. But when he said it… It meant something… didn't it?

Yoh continued when she didn't respond, "I know I don't know you that long… yet. But I know you aren't very happy living here. How could anyone be? Being treated like an outsider… Like almost nothing at all…" He turned away as he trailed off, "I wouldn't be…"

Anna looked into his distant eyes. There was something… lingering in his eyes. A hurtful glint… of loneliness perhaps? And it was right there, that Anna knew that she wasn't alone anymore.

The boy shook his head, "What am I going on about? I can't promise you happiness… but I can at least promise you something much better than this…"

"Ok…" she replied. Her hand clasped over his in reassurance.

"What? …Really?" The boy grinned instantly.

"I'll come live with you…"

_'Though I'll probably get thrown out at first sight.' _Anna decided not to add verbally.

"You won't regret it. I can promise you that."

Yoh's other hand rested on top of hers, giving her a small squeeze. Little did Anna know that those words would hold truth in their future to come.

**

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The train doors closed with a snap as it began to move to its destination in Izumo. Anna bit her lip, unsure of what was to happen when she arrived. She mentally thought of backup plans to use when it would be announced that she couldn't stay with them. She could go back and live in the forest… though food would be scarce and she had yet learned basic survival skills… and on top of that… she was only five. It would be a long thirteen years before she could finally move around the country or travel abroad freely.

Heck, if she wasn't accepted… maybe she'll even move back with the landlord. No… that couldn't be an option nonetheless a backup plan. It would be ten times worse if she came back. The landlord would treat her even worse, if that were possible, than before.

Maybe she'll just wander around Izumo… or make a hole and live in it.

Anna glanced at Yoh, who was soundly asleep already. His mouth hung open and his head kept tilting upwards and downwards. She giggled slightly at his appearance.

If she continued to walk along and never stopped to watch the boy at the bakery today… She wouldn't have met her first friend. But still… things were moving fast. The other day, she was sleeping soundly in her hard futon… and today… she was off to see if she could live with the Asakura family.

She mentally groaned, _'How did I get myself into this?'_

It was silly… she already knew the answer. It was him. Yoh. His dark brown eyes had so much more than its colour. His kind and gentle smile… The way he was so willingly to protect her just from the first 5 minutes of being with her.

She could still remember those words he said during the fight…

_"Anna is important to me and I will protect her."_

_'I will protect her…' _the words echoed in her mind again.

There was just something about those words that set it apart from lies. It was so genuinely spoken…

_'He's only my age. Surely, he couldn't have meant it. But it was nice to hear them anyways…'_

The young girl sighed.

It would be a long ride… 3 hours is what Yoh had said. Closing her eyes, Anna decided to rest… After all, it would be a long day ahead of her.

**

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_"Final stop! Izumo. Passengers please exit now. We hope you had an enjoyable ride," _the speakers blared loudly announcing their arrival.

Yoh slowly opened his eyes. He yawned while stretching his tired muscles. He looked at his companion across from him, who seemed to be fast asleep. Her face seemed pale, probably from exhaustion and lack of proper care over the years. Though despite all that, she was still cute. At least in Yoh's eyes.

Gently, he poked her arm and whispered, "This is our stop."

"A few more minutes…" mumbled the sleeping girl.

"Well... In a few more minutes, the train will move back to where we were 3 hours ago. Come oooooon. Let's goooooo," Yoh tugged her arm lightly.

He stood up and pulled the girl away from the seat. Anna mumbled something before she let herself be pulled out of the train by the boy.

"Let's go! The bus stop is this way."

"Bus stop? You've gotta be kidding me," Anna groaned, "And how long will the bus ride be? And will we have to walk after that? Or take another train? And some more buses?"

Yoh laughed, "Not really. Just a 45-minute bus ride and a 15-minute walk… and we'll be there."

"Your house must be in the middle of nowhere."

"It is. Well, it has to be. A lot of shamans come to train at our place because they know our family and because of its location near waterfalls and a couple of caves."

"Your family must be famous…"

"You could say that," Yoh smiled at her, "But starting today, it's _our_ family that's famous. Oh look! There's the stop."

Yoh ran ahead and climbed onto the bus benches. He stood and watched for incoming buses. A cool breeze blew past Anna, sending chills crawling over her body. Her arms folded as her teeth gritted. She glanced at Yoh for hopeful signs that the bus was indeed coming. But instead, she found his eyes staring directly at her.

"What?" she asked. She wasn't used to people staring at her for no reason.

"Are you cold?"

"No," Anna replied, quickly letting her arms fall to her side, "Why would I be?"

Yoh shook his head, "I have no clue." He continued to look in the direction the bus would be coming from, but at the same time, he watched Anna from the corner of his eye.

Much to her misfortune, Anna sneezed suddenly. She sniffled as she found Yoh's gaze at her once again.

"I'm not cold!" she exclaimed, "It's… just dusty here. That's all."

The boy jumped down and walked towards her. Anna backed away a few steps in reflex. Yoh opened his arms and wrapped them around her body.

"W-Wh—What are you doing?" Anna shrieked, struggling from his hold.

"Making you warm," was his simple reply, "Sometimes when I'm cold at night, I feel really warm when my mom holds me like this."

Anna said nothing in reply. She let his warmth spread throughout her body. She had to admit that it was oddly effective. There was another feeling though… something she couldn't quite describe. It was something new… and warming to her heart. Even if the purpose of the embrace was not to achieve this feeling… It didn't matter. It almost made her feel… whole… and secure. But how could such a simple thing as a hug, build up so much emotion inside her?

A large automobile was coming around the corner, but Anna didn't want to lose this feeling yet. On top of that, she would be cold again.

"The bus is coming," she slowly said, kicking herself mentally at the same time.

Yoh pulled away, as Anna predicted, and turned to await the bus. She could feel some of the warmth slipping away already.

The bus stopped in front of Yoh and opened its doors, welcoming its passengers.

"Let's get on. You'll be warmer in the bus," he said, stepping inside.

Anna followed him up the steps and towards the back end to sit down.

It really is going to be a long day.

**

* * *

**

Yoh watched the scenery as the bus continued to roll. His eyes were in danger of closing again.

It would be bad if their stop passed by while he was sleeping.

'I wish Anna knew where it was… Then I could catch a few Z's…' 

Yoh glanced at the girl beside him. Her head was down, letting her long blond hair cover her face.

_'But she probably deserves to rest more than I do…'_

Unexpectedly, the bus sharply turned right and sent the passengers falling slightly to the right of the vehicle.

Anna's body leaned on Yoh's, pushing him against the side of the bus. Yoh waved a hand in front of her face, checking to see if she was awake. He smiled when there was no response from the motionless girl. Looking back towards the window, Yoh grinned.

_'Today is going to be great. I can feel it.'_

**

* * *

**

Anna didn't even know she dozed off a second time until Yoh stood up beside her and pulled the thin rope to signal that they were getting off the next stop.

The bus slowly slid to a stop and opened its doors once more.

"We're almost there, Anna… Just a little further."

The young girl yawned as she leapt off the final step of the bus. The large automobile drove away, leaving clouds of smoke trailing from behind.

"Someone's tired today," Yoh hinted as they began their final walk to his home, "Though I guess I can't blame you. You're probably not used to taking so many different kinds of transportation…"

"A 3 hour train ride, a 45 minute bus ride and a 15 minute walk. That's pretty much 4 hours from where I lived," Anna pointed out, "Speaking of which, if it takes you 4 hours to get there… Why were you there in the first place?"

"I had to run an errand for my grandfather, he needed some sort of incense… or something."

"So, he made you go all by yourself?" Anna asked, shocked at the idea of sending someone as small as him to run an 8-hour errand.

"I'm used to travelling on my own a lot. It's not a big deal. I was the one who wanted to run it. Besides, if I get into any trouble, I can just summon Amidamaru."

"Shamans must be strong then. I wonder if I can become that strong."

"You will," Yoh reassured, "If you consider me strong, then you will definitely become even stronger."

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't know really. Just a feeling," He smiled.

"Your face must hurt from smiling a lot."

"You know what they say, it takes 43 muscles to frown and only 17 to smile. You should try it sometimes."

Anna shook her head, "It hurts to smile. All that effort to move your mouth upwards… It's just not for me."

"Wow. You're exactly like my grandmother," Yoh laughed, "Speaking of which, we're almost there! Let's hurry!"

The boy grabbed her hand and ran quickly towards a large house. Anna stared at the old house. It was certainly big… really… really big.

Yoh pushed opened the gates and smiled, "We're finally here. Welcome to your new home."

Anna forced a smile, but it was quickly replaced with awe as she realized, that the large house wasn't the only thing there was. Other houses, smaller and smaller in size were scattered across the fields. It was a complex. The centre house was the largest, like the king of all houses.

"Is this all… part of your home?" Anna asked, looking right and left, astonished at the true size of the Asakura household.

"Kinda. Most are empty. Have been for quite a while now."

"Yoh-sama!" a shrill voice cried, "You're back! Welcome home."

He nodded, "Yes I am. Thank you, Tamao. Oh. By the way, this is Anna. If all goes well, she'll be living here with us."

The pink-haired girl raised her hand out, "Pleased to meet you, Anna-sama. My name is Tamamura Tamao. I hope we can become good friends."

Anna took the hand and replied honestly, "Me too."

"Hey Tamao, could you show Anna around here? I have to talk to my parents a bit…" Yoh grinned as he jogged ahead.

She replied with a wave, "Of course, Yoh-sama."

The girls watched him as he entered the large house. Tamao turned to Anna, "Well, shall we begin?"

The latter nodded and followed the younger girl. If most of this complex was indeed empty… Then maybe… just maybe… she could live here. Even in the smallest house…

_'No,'_ Anna shook her head, _'I wish… I can't get my hopes up. There's no possible way for me to live here. No matter how many empty places there are. You'd obviously have to be a very talented shaman to live in such a place. As the landlord said, who'd accept a rag like me?'_

'But still… I wish…' **

* * *

**

Yoh handed over the small package of incense to his grandfather, "Here it is."

"Thank you very much. It must have taken a long time to get there and back," Yohmei replied.

"Maybe… but it was worth it. Every single trip."

"I take it you must be talking about that girl you've brought home. She's a cute one."

Grinning, Yoh nodded, "Yep. I think she's a shaman too! She definitely saw Amidamaru with no problem."

"What! How did that happen?"

Yoh explained all the details of how he saw her running away from the townspeople and how he followed her only to meet up with her cranky landlord.

"Please let her stay here! I'll even consider twice the training!" Yoh begged.

"Relax, Yoh. I never said she couldn't stay here… But still, we'd have to inform your grandmother and your parents."

"Now that you mention it, I forgot to add that Anna is a lot like oba-chan."

"You're kidding. At such a young age? Well, your grandmother always wanted another apprentice to train. But Yoh, are you sure she can truly see spirits?"

The boy scratched his head, "I never... really asked…"

"Oh well. We'll find out sooner or later. I'll talk to your grandmother about it. She can stay the night here… but tomorrow… if your grandmother agrees to test her abilities… it might be a lot of pressure on your young friend," Yohmei shook his head grimly.

Yoh sighed. His grandmother was a fierce trainer, which explained why she was one of the best shamans in the world. But Yoh had faith in Anna. She would pass. She has to.

_'Or I will train her to pass the initial test.'_

**

* * *

-(TBC)- **

cough There's another bad chapter I wrote that's gone down the drain. Anyways, comments/criticism/questions can always be done by e-mailing or reviewing. (And it's always greatly appreciated.)


	3. Innocence

**Author Notes:** Wow, that was way more reviews that I ever expected. Thanks everyone!

**Thanks**: As always, thanks to everyone who had kindly taken the time to review the previous chapters. And of course YOU, for taking more time to read this fic right now. And and… thanks to all the people who added me to their favourite's list/author alerts and being patient! You guys rock!

**Fic Notes:** A lot of this chapter are based on **made-up** myths, so be prepared! Very sorry if I happened to use an incorrect word to describe something totally different! It might seem really long and… never-ending in the beginning... and I do apologize for that. I just.. like to explain things in the fic… --;;

**Start/Finish:** 041104/050204

* * *

**

Midst of Heaven and Hell, Ch. 3

* * *

**

The entire place was covered with floating transparent figures that barely touched the ground. Each one had a face and even semi-defined bodies, but they weren't human. Or were they? The figures passed through nearby objects as they continued to float about.

"…This is the Asakura memorial graveyard. It contains all the bodies and spirits of those to the Asakura ancestry. Sometimes even Kino-sensei and Yohmei-sensei still turn to them for help. Though most of their spirits have already left to the after world, some still remain here on earth to help guide shamans," Tamao spoke softly.

"These are… spirits?" Is this what Yoh had meant before? Anna asked in awe, "This is what they're afraid of?"

Only twice has Anna seen so many in large numbers. She had never known what they were and had never bothered to figure it out. She had thought that they were a part of this world like any other person. How are these floating human-like figures fearful to their own living descendants?

Tamao replied as if she had been trained to answer these types of questions, "Yes. When people physically die, their spirits may remain on earth for a certain reason – a grudge, a regret maybe even to wait for someone beyond the reaches of time. The spirits take on their earthly form and are unseen by normal humans without shaman abilities. There are extremely rare cases where some humans possess none of these abilities and are still able to see spirits.

"Most humans are afraid because if they can't see them, they don't know what dangers they may bring. Spirits cannot physically touch a human just as humans cannot touch or feel spirits. A shaman however, can touch, feel and hear the cries of the spirits just as if they were human."

Anna remained captivated at the sight of the translucent bodies. After years… she finally knew the answers. Finally. But she couldn't be a shaman could she? She didn't remember possess any abilities… or…

_"...Wha--What's happening?" the landlord cried._

A hidden memory flashed through her mind. The landlord was on the floor, hurrying towards the wall. It was bright… too bright. What did happen then? What did she do? She couldn't remember. But something made her tired… what was screaming in her mind?

What… was it?

_I'll make him pay. For everything._

Anna blinked. A sharp pain suddenly shot through her temple, bringing the young girl instantly to the floor, clutching the side of her head. The pain blinded her vision and tears quickly rolled down her cheek. She could feel her head aching… pounding… screaming. She just wished for anything… anyone that could stop the throbbing headache.

"Anna-sama? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Tamao quickly knelt beside her, one arm clutching the blond-haired girl tightly in case she fell.

"It….. hurts…"

She could see nothing but darkness. Were her eyes closed or open? She couldn't tell… but that didn't matter right now. Just the pain… if only the pain went away…

The last words she heard was Tamao's cry, "Yoh-sama… One of you... get Yoh-sama! Hurry!"

And then the pain was gone… and so was everything else.

* * *

Anna's eyes slowly slid open, relieved that her abnormal migraine was gone. It was warm under the sheets and if she didn't have the urge to get some answers as to what had happened, she would have laid there for another while. Taking her time, she sat up, only to face Yoh's worried expression. 

"What happened..?"

"Are you okay? You blacked out in the cemetery. Tamao said you had a severe headache… maybe you need more rest. Would you like that? I don't think your current condition is ready for the test tomorrow… maybe I'll talk to obaa-chan."

The young girl's head spun as she slowly absorbed the handful of information, "I'm… fine. I'll get more rest later… and what test tomorrow?"

Yoh bit his lip, "Obaa-chan… might test to see if you really are a shaman tomorrow. But… it might be too much… I'll delay it for a while… okay?"

"No… I'll do it. I want to know… if I'm a shaman too… Please, let me do it. I'll be okay. Don't worry about me…"

"Bu—"

The door immediately slid open, revealing an older woman grasping her cane lightly. She wore dark glasses that Anna was sure, hid her omniscient eyes. The young girl gulped as she could feel the woman's burning gaze.

"Obaa-chan."

"Yoh. Would you mind leaving the room for just a moment? I need to talk to your young friend here," her voice was cold and stern, leaving chills crawling up Anna's spine.

Yoh nodded and threw Anna a hesitating look before he left the room, sliding the door closed. The room filled with silence almost immediately. The young girl grasped the hem of the blanket tight and closed her eyes. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest.

"So your name is Anna… is that correct?"

Nod.

"You don't have to be afraid. Yoh has told me how he met you. He thinks you have what it takes to be an excellent shaman."

Anna felt as if a strong hand gripped her throat, preventing her from speaking. She swallowed hard, not daring to look into the woman's eyes.

"Do you know where are your parents?"

The invisible hand loosened. "I--- I don't know. I was brought up by the landlord…"

"I see," Kino replied, "Since Tamao has brought you to the graveyard, you must have seen them. The spirits of the ancestors of the Asakura family."

"There were many of them… all floating…" Anna replied. After a slow pause, she decided to ask the question that was weighing on her mind, "Do you know why I fainted? And… why my head hurt…?"

The older woman relaxed her grip on her cane, "I have a few speculations. It could have been anything, really. An overdose on the sight of spiritual beings... Over usage of mental power… Or.. A bitter memory remembered where an excess of spiritual energy was used and lost."

The young girl was awed by how quick a solution was formed in her mind in mere seconds.

"In order to avoid those headaches, you must learn how to control your power and use only what you can at the time."

"How do I learn?" Anna instantly replied, urgency hinted in her voice.

Kino smiled, "Complete and pass the test I shall prepare for you tomorrow. And then once I take you in as my disciple, then I shall teach you the ways of a shaman. Or rather… an itako." She turned towards the door.

Anna opened her mouth to ask what an itako was when Kino answered, "You will learn everything you need to know tomorrow. In the meanwhile, come down and have dinner with us. After, rest well and recuperate your energy. You will certainly need it tomorrow."

* * *

The moon hung in the sky, complimenting the dark night sky that almost seemed surreal. Stars shone their timid gleam, spread out almost like the sparkles all over a first-grader's artwork. Not a cloud in sight was seen coming to disrupt the view. 

From a distance from the back porch, voices could be heard coming from inside. Even though they were inaudible, one could easily tell that there was two participates: a worried boy who was trying to desperately persuade a girl to see his reasons.

"I'll be fine. I don't see anything to worry about," the blond-haired girl replied with a sigh. Although she was somewhat tired of reassuring Yoh that there wasn't anything to fear, she couldn't suppress two other feelings that seemed to beat along with her heart. Gladness, that for once, there was someone in the world that cared about her well-being.. and of course the feeling of fear. Although she was confident that it wouldn't be _too _difficult, she still had doubts on whether she actually was gifted enough to pass.

"You don't know my grandmother!" Yoh protested, "Her trainings and tests are… painful! And you can't fail them or else… there's more pain?"

Anna smiled subtly, "I want to take this test because I want to be as strong as you are… I want to see if I'm a shaman and if I have what it takes to be as strong as what I've been hearing… You can bug me all you want, but I will take the test tomorrow."

"Then you should rest like it's your last…" Yoh sighed. He shrugged his shoulders as he continued, "Since I can't do anything… why don't I walk you to your room?"

The young girl nodded, heading off along the wooden pathway towards her room, "Thank you. Thank you for everything. For bringing me here, for believing in me, for dinner, for a roof, for… everything."

Yoh grinned as he followed her, "It's nothing. But try your hardest to pass the test tomorrow and we're even."

"By the sounds of that, you seem like I'll fail for sure."

"No… but… you'll see. Tomorrow." Yoh stopped in front of Anna's room. He gave her a quick anxious look for a split second before he hid it with a look of glee. "Think you'll be alright here? I could always sleep in your room for a while… until you're used to sleeping alone."

"I'm fine," Anna reassured him once again, "I've always slept alone befo—"

_'Fozzie._'

She froze as she thought of her little friend. Alone. Scared, even. He was always there for her when she needed him… But now.. he was 8 hours away and impossible to rescue. How could she have forgotten her once and only friend in the world? She had held onto him for comfort and for strength all those years back, and now she has done the opposite to him… the worst kind of abuse an owner could do … abandonment. After she had been discarded just like that from her parents and after Fozzie had been thrown away by his owner… Now it was happening again to him. By her. The one who would know… the one who _should_ know... how painful it is the most…

She turned away and closed her eyes as she tried to hold down the cries in her aching heart. How could she do this to him…

"Anna.. what's wrong?" Yoh looked at her with concerned eyes.

_'I can't abandon him. He's already been abandoned once… But…'_

Anna bit her lip, willing herself not to cry. Her vision became slightly blurred. If only she could turn back time… and take Fozzie with her…

"Anna!"

She slid slowly to the ground, huddling in front of her door, "I left him behind."

Yoh's heart raced, "Who..?"

"Fozzie."

"Fozzie?"

"My… stuffed… bear."

"Ehh?" his heart relaxed, somewhat relieved that it wasn't a very serious situation.

"He's important to me. And I've left him behind! How could I do something so stupid! He's been ditched by his own family.. and now.. again… I'm the one… I'm… that person…"

Anna quickly brushed away her falling tears. She couldn't be seen crying… But… Fozzie wasn't here..

Yoh placed his hands on her shoulders, "It'll be fine. Okay? Everything will work out in the end… I promise."

"But Fozzie is still back with the landlord… he could have… tossed it out.. or… or… what if he burnt him!"

The boy pulled her up, holding her arms tightly, "Fozzie is okay. I'm sure of it. But for now… you have to get some rest. You have a test tomorrow."

The rock that sat on top of her chest moved slightly. He was right. She knew it. But she couldn't let go… Even if it was just a bear… it was still her friend.

...And friends don't abandon friends. No matter what the circumstances may be.

But… the circumstances were impossible in this situation. She couldn't go back… especially if she was seen. She didn't want to think of what would happen the next time if she were to meet up with the landlord. Then again, she didn't want to think of what would happen to Fozzie if he were abandoned by her.

'Maybe he'll find a new owner. A better one… way better than me. And who'll love him… and won't abandon him. I can't be his owner anymore… not after what I just did.'

Yoh pulled the door open and walked closely by her side. "Do you want me to sleep here tonight?"

Anna shook her head, "I'll.. be okay."

"You sure? Are you really really sure?"

She nodded, dragging her body to her futon and rolling under the covers. Yoh watched her for a moment before closing the door with a soft click.

The girl whispered, "Goodbye, Fozzie. May a new owner find you and take care of you better than I did."

* * *

Yoh closed his closet door, holding out the object he was searching for. Covered in dust, tape and bandages, his alarm clock was still in decent condition... to an extent. 

He spun the arms of the clock to 6:30 in the morning before tossing it aside.

"Should be enough time," the boy spoke as he pulled the blanket over himself. He hummed silently before his final mumble of the night, "Oi.. Amidamaru… rest well… We have another big day ahead of us. A rescue mission!"

**

* * *

-(TBC)- **

Okay, that chapter was probably a **huge** let down --;; I promise WAAAAY more things will happen in the next chapter. Like Anna's test, and Yoh's mission. But nonetheless, you can now review and criticize me --


	4. Rescue Mission I

**Author Notes:** Aww! You guys are so nice.. _sniffles_ to say that… _sniffles_ third chapter was good. If you guys don't stop, you might get my self-esteem up. --;;

**Thanks: **To **everyone** who reviewed the previous chapters, placed me on their favourites list/author alert, and who are taking the time to read this chapter.

**Fic Notes:** A lot of this chapter are based on **made-up** myths, so be prepared! Some are factual, some aren't. Maybe I'll make a note of the difference… Very sorry if I happened to use an incorrect word to describe something totally different! I know it seems totally unrealistic that five-year-olds use this kind of language but... ermm.. please bear with me? But since their all shamans who've all led hard lives, they've all matured at an extremely young age. But seriously! They are five. That's why they can just say what's on their minds without worrying about anything. Isn't that great? And another note.. the fic does get slow and boring from time to time.. like I said.. I happen to like to explain things.. a little too thoroughly.. eheh. And now.. without further ado… the long awaited 4th chapter!

**Start/Finish:** 050404/063004

* * *

**

Midst of Heaven and Hell, Ch. 4

* * *

**

"Anna-sama. Please wake up."

"…No…" mumbled the sleeping girl, slapping away the hands that tried to wake her slumber. It was too early, too bright, too quiet, too peaceful, and too… perfect for sleeping in. She stuffed her head under the pillow, drowning out the voice.

"Anna-sama! You must eat and prepare for Kino-sensei's test!" Tamao shook the girl. "Come down and eat breakfast. Kino-sensei doesn't like those who are late."

And without another word Anna shot upwards in bed, still drowsy from the morning's effect. She let herself be pulled by Tamao into the dining room.

"Here you go. Eat well and relax during the testing. As long as you hang in there no matter how hard it gets, you'll do fine," the pink haired girl coached as she pulled a plate of food towards the older girl.

The corners of Anna's mouth twitched a little as she tried to smile, "Thank you, Tamao. You've been nice to me ever since I got here."

Tamao flushed slightly and returned the small smile, "Shamans have to look out for each other. Besides it's my pleasure because I've met a new friend."

The blond haired girl looked down in modesty, searching for the right words to describe how grateful she was towards her. She couldn't remember how nice people could have been if it weren't for them… Tamao… and Yoh. Something in her heart loosened a little when Anna was talking to them. _'It feels easier to breathe now…' _

"But still…" the older girl started, "Thanks.."

**

* * *

**

"Yoh?" Kino knocked on the door loudly. "It's time to get up! Yoh!"

She slid the wooden door open with one quick motion with her wrist. There was a small bump under the covers and Kino didn't have to check to find out that her grandson was missing. A folded note lay on top of the bump. Hesitantly, she crouched down and grabbed the note.

_I'm rescuing an important friend. Won't be back until at least 2:30 in the afternoon. _

_Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Wish Anna the best of luck. _

_Also tell her that I'll have a gift for her when she passes. _

_Yoh_

"That Yoh. What in the world is he doing?"

"He left quite early this morning, Kino. He also seemed to very pleased with himself." A voice answered.

She looked up near the open windowsill to find a spirit leaning against it. Kino could never forget the face of her late-aunt whom she shared such bonds with as a child. "Aya-san. Did Yoh happen to mention where he was heading?"

"Now that you mention it, he mumbled about going to get something of Anna's. A cherished item, I would imagine."

Kino grunted softly in disapproval, "Without the consent of any of us?"

"He's a big boy now. Umm... Maybe," Aya smiled unsurely, "But if Yohmei can send him off to a place that's a good 4-hour distance from here and he returned home safe, then I'm sure he'll be fine. Though I think this idea is quite romantic… I mean, a young boy setting off to retrieve a girl's precious item? Don't you find it somewhat… sweet?"

Kino sighed as she rubbed her temple lightly, "I'm not sure how to take all this. He's only met Anna for a day or so and he's doing all these things for her… It just seems… like…"

"Something that Yoh would do?" the spirit finished with a slight grin, "He's a lovable boy. Your son and daughter have raised him up into a wonderful child."

"Sometimes Yoh can be a little _too_ sweet. He's still inexperienced with what the world can do to him if he's not careful."

"There are times… where it is still better to run in with your eyes closed and meet what may await you head on," Aya remarked.

"And when are these times?"

"Life is all about running in with your eyes closed. But … also… when you're in love," she simply replied. Aya flashed Kino another smile before drifting away from the window.

**

* * *

**

The two young girls walked along the wooden pathway to the main house where Anna's test would take place. Even with her stomach full, Anna clutched it lightly with anxiety. Her heart raced along each stride she took.

"Ummm… Anna-sama?" Tamao asked as she clasped her hands tightly.

"You don't have to add –sama to my name. It doesn't seem right… Especially now that we're friends," the older girl replied with uneasiness.

"I will insist on calling you with the honourable suffix attached… or else it wouldn't seem right for _me_. But… I just want to wish you good luck. I have a feeling you'll definitely beat the part of the test I failed on."

"Eh? You took the test too?" Anna questioned with a slight hint of surprise.

"Yes. Though I can't tell you what will be on it because she changes it for each person especially. But the one I had was extremely difficult. Kino-sensei told me that I didn't pass the test because I wasn't meant to become an itako."

The blond-haired girl sighed in relief, "So you don't have to pass after all… What a relief. But how can I even pass if I don't even know what an itako is?"

"An itako is someone who summons a spirit no matter where they are – that includes the heavens. Even if you don't have to pass the itako test… you must pass another one," the pink haired girl paused before continuing, "Each of the Asakura family members, not including Yoh, all set tests for shamans who wish to receive training from them. Each test is very different and some can't be taken until you're at least 12 years old. If you don't past any tests, you can continue to train until you pass one of them… although you may have to plead your case." 1

"You're kidding… " Anna could feel the knots in her stomach tighten again. She didn't even notice that they've arrived until a familiar voice shook her back to reality.

"Thank you, Tamao. You can return back now," Kino placed a hand on Tamao's shoulder before the girl turned away.

"Good luck, Anna-sama," she smiled before hurrying back towards the serving room.

Anna waved before turning around to meet Kino's dark eyes. She gulped, wondering if she should say anything.

"Are you ready?" her stern voice asked.

The young girl exhaled as she met her gaze, "Yes. Yes I am."

"Then follow me."

**

* * *

**

The train seemed to move faster in the morning, as if it were running from the direction of sunlight, racing to see who would arrive in the west first. Yoh slouched in his seat, yawning as he turned towards his side. His eyes refused to open to the bright atmosphere that was waiting to blind him. It was getting darker and darker as each second passed. There was a lady loudly mumbling above Yoh, causing the boy to stir a little. He covered his ears as a series of loud thumping noises passed by him.

_'So noisy in the morning…'_

Just before drifting back to sleep, the mortuary tablet in his pocket began to shake, ruining his second opportunity to regain his energy.

"Yoh-dono. We're here. The train has already stopped and all the passengers have already left." Amidamaru mumbled loudly under the boy's jacket.

Reluctantly and lazily, Yoh slid down his seat to the floor of the train. "It's still too early…"

"You can sleep on the return trip... But for now, how are we going to find Anna's bear?"

The shaman scratched his head, "That's a good question… I never thought about that before…"

Amidamaru popped out of the tablet in disbelief. "EH! You don't know? …You've got to be kidding…" His hand rested on his temple.

"Don't worry! Things will work out. Don't they always?" Yoh grinned nervously, "Look on the bright side, it's a small town... maybe we'll see the landlord."

The spirit sighed, "You mean hopefully." Yoh laughed as he headed towards the station exit. He hummed a tune as they headed towards the town.

Amidamaru smiled fondly as he thought, 'It's just like you to get so caught up in doing something good for someone else… Yoh-dono. So caught up that you forget to plan ahead of time what to do… But there's no other shaman I would consider to serve under… experienced, well-trained or what not… It is your kind heart that I admire. Even in a bleak situation like this… it's hard not to hang on to that last bit of hope when you are around.'

**

* * *

**

"Look at all this junk she left behind! Useless child." The man bitterly spat out to the empty room. He rubbed the bandaged area on his head. "The two must have been plotting against me all along. Why… if I saw that little runt again… let's not even get me started." The landlord shook the large bag until the opening was wide. He stuffed everything in his sight into it without a second glance.

Old reference books… "Why would the bothersome child need these? It's not like she'll go to school in her lifetime."

Ragged clothing… "Ungrateful… these clothes are good enough for the likes of her. But nooooo.."

Old newspapers… "She shouldn't even belong in this world.. yet she wishes to learn about daily events? Hmmf. Maybe she could have been the cause of all those tragic incidents… with demon-like powers.. I wouldn't be surprised at all!"

His hand stuffed the old blankets into the bag and threw the pillow along with it. To his surprise what he found under the pillow, as the next to-be-discarded item was a dusty white bear.

"And what have we here… stealing from an innocent child? That no good demon raiser… She should be glad to have received these hand-me-downs. Clothes are so hard to find these days... yet she still resorts to these acts! Thank goodness she's left... her an-and her strange… tree-hugging friend. Keh. ..Talking about treating rags with respect and everything with care. I'll be glad never to see them again!"

Throwing the final item into the sack, he grabbed the edges of the bag and tied them into a knot. Once he was outside, the landlord threw the bag into the garbage can and rushed home to wash his 'dirtied' hands.

**

* * *

**

Somewhere in town…

"Achooooo!" Yoh sneezed. His nose tingled as his eyes began to water.

"May the Great Spirit bless you," Amidamaru beamed.

"Thanks. I wonder if someone was talking about me just now…" Shrugging the thought off, the two continued their way… until…

"Ah!" Yoh stopped abruptly. He raised his hand up to his chin as a thinking pose.

"What's the matter?" the spirit asked with a hint of concern.

"I wonder how Anna is doing on her test. It should have started already, right?"

"I'm sure she'll do very well. She doesn't seem to be the type to give up so easily… unlike a certain… someone…" he rolled his eyes as an added hint.

Yoh laughed, "You're right. Anna will be just fine. All we have to worry about now is finding Fozzie so when she does pass the test, we have a gift!"

**

* * *

**

The morning winds blew past Anna's light robe, sending shivers down her body. It didn't help that she was also a step away from an icy waterfall nonetheless wearing absolutely nothing but the flimsy fabric.

"First off, the purification ceremony. It cleanses both the body and mind. It helps relieve one's mind from excess stress," Kino explained, "Do you see that large rock in the middle? Climb up and sit there for a bit, focusing on nothing but relaxing your mind."

Anna nodded as she took her first step into the cold pool of water. _'It's cold! Really… really.. cold! It feels like I'm walking on ice…'_ She winced as she continued. She could feel her feet grow number with each stride. It was like walking on sharp spikes that bit into your flesh, freezing motion for seconds at a time.

Just before submerging herself into the waterfall, Anna held her breath, grasping for something to boost her up. Her senses were giving out on her – one by one. Her sight was blinded by the cold gushes of water above her. Her eyes were frozen shut. Her sense of hearing was washed out by the crashes of water hitting the earth once again. She couldn't even tell if her hands were touching rocks or if they had become ice cubes.

She tried to lift herself on to what she thought was a large rock but her fingers slipped on the surface, sending Anna into the pool of liquid ice. Her hands floated to the surface, searching for something stable to grab on to. Each part of her body felt as if knives were attacking it. She wanted to scream in pain, if not for the water that would immediately flow into her mouth. Was she going to drown just like this? So easily… The test hasn't technically even started… and she had failed already.

_'Why am I doing this anyways…? Why… should I torture by body like this?'_

But she already knew the answer.

Her hands grasped on to the rock, once she had a firm hold on it, she pulled herself up. _'Now.. for the big one.. I won't fail. I won't let myself fail… because…' _she told herself. She tightened her right hand into a fist trying to gain whatever senses remained. Grabbing the edge of the large rock, she pulled herself using every bit of strength she had left to the top.

'Because… I want to stay here with Yoh… 

_….and Tamao._

_With my friends...'_

She crawled forward until she could see Kino-sensei. The older woman's expression remained the same as before, no sign of relief or a smile of congratulations for getting on the rock. Anna was starting to get used to the frost biting her flesh. She sighed as she closed her eyes.

Her mind came back to the very day she met Yoh. His carefree attitude, his quick acceptance of her, his sincere smiles… just everything about the boy.

_"Anna is important to me and I will protect her."_

_"Because… You deserve happiness."_

_"You won't regret it. I can promise you that."_

Anna couldn't resist the smile forming on her face. "I don't regret it... Asakura Yoh… Not one bit."

Kino watched as the younger girl frowned, then smile, then frown once more. She didn't bother to ponder what could have caused the sudden joyful expression.

"It took an unmotivated Yoh at least 3 days to get his body used to the coldness. Yet it took her only moments. Such a strong and dedicated will she has. The purification ceremony for first timers tests one's willingness to train. Maybe… just maybe… Yoh was right about her. I look forward to see how you will handle this test… Anna."

Kino cleared her throat then announced, "You can come down now and begin the first part of the three part test."

Surprisingly, coming back down to the base of the waterfall was easier than she had expected. As she walked through what she once thought as a stream of ice, she noticed that everything seemed much warmer now. In no time at all, she met face to face with the itako.

"Follow me," the older woman commanded as she headed towards a forested area.

* * *

Anna sat on the tree stump as she was told. She clasped her hands together in anxiety, wondering what the test would require her to do. She watched as the older woman placed a leaf on the stone in front of her. 

Kino stepped back and nodded, "Here is the first of the 3 tests. Summon a ground spirit. Relax your mind and focus only on conjuring these spirits. There are no step-by-step instructions on how to summon a spirit. You have to figure that out on your own."

She turned her back and began to walk away, leaving Anna in a confused situation.

Meekly, the girl asked, "Umm… Sorry if this comes out as rude… but aren't you going to watch me?"

"Watch you? It is not something you can accomplish in just an hour… nonetheless in several minutes. I shall check up on your progress in 2 hours. Good luck… though luck isn't what you should depend on."

With those last words, Anna watched as Kino disappeared from her sight. "This is... just great. How am I supposed to know how to summon a spirit?"

**

* * *

**

The landlord bit the tip of his pipe, pointing to the apples in the box. "Could I get 6 of those please?"

A rounded middle-aged man smiled, "Sure thing. Don't have the helper to do your chores today?" He gathered the apples and placed them into a bag.

The landlord took the bag and threw the coins on the wooden stand, "Don't mention that hellish girl again. She took off… that… bi--"

"Even if she may be dangerous to the townspeople… it's another thing to call her names. She's still a child. I'll bet she doesn't even understand why she's being treated this way. Take that vulgar language somewhere else," the younger man pointed towards his exit.

Scoffing while his eyes narrowed at the market man, the leaner of the two men took his leave.

The landlord blew his pipe smoke out to the air, not caring if he was contributing to the destruction of clean air. His white hair swayed as a breeze blew past him. As he headed down the market place, his dark brown eyes suddenly widened in delight when he found his favourite bakery just ahead of him.

"That sweet jelly-filled doughnut…" he almost drooled at the thought of the red jelly pouring into his mouth. Hurrying towards the bakery, the landlord didn't even notice a familiar brown haired boy walking into the store.

**

* * *

**

"Could I get one of those jelly-filled doughnuts? Wait make that 2!" Yoh eagerly poked the outside glass. The woman smiled and pulled out the two doughnuts and dropped them into a paper bag. She was used to seeing the bright faces of children when they were awed at how large the shop was. Her husband was right in investing so much for this bakery.

"Is that everything?" she asked.

Yoh nodded, "Yep!"

"That would be 88 yen," the woman replied, pushing the paper bag towards him. 2

The boy placed the change on the counter and headed for the door, "Thank you!"

"It's my pleasure," she answered as she waved goodbye.

Yoh waved back and hastily pushed the door open, unaware that there was someone behind it.

"Watch it! You…" the landlord rubbed his head and turned to see Yoh's innocent stare.

"Sorry! I didn't see that you were behind it," Yoh bowed several times in front of the man. As he rose after the final bow, he recognized that it was the landlord who was standing in front of him. "Hey! You're that old man from yesterday! I was looking for you!"

The older man almost gasped at the sudden sight of him. He swallowed hard and growled, "What a coincidence… I was looking for you as well," he gripped his cane hard, "Time to settle our score."

The boy backed away, "Looks like you've got your hands full with all those apples you got there... I didn't come here to fight you… I just want to know where Fozzie is."

"Who in the name of whatever is Fozzie? If you're playing some kind of trick on me.. it's not going to work!"

"Where's Anna's.." Yoh started wondering what to call Fozzie. '_I can't just say friend… he wouldn't understand… but… teddy bear would seem kind of rude… but at least he might understand.'_ "…_teddy _bear?" he finished.

The man laughed, "You came back for a teddy bear? Tough luck. Where's the girl? I'm going to give her a piece of my mind when I see her."

Yoh scowled, "I came alone. What did you do with Fozzie?"

The wind blew past them, carrying old newspapers and dust along with it. The white haired man inhaled his pipe smoke then blew it at the younger boy's face. Yoh held his breath but he couldn't hold it long enough. He coughed as the foul air entered his lungs.

"You won't be a man if you can't handle this smoke. But if you really want the bear back… I bid you bad luck… because I threw him out along with the rest of her junk. The garbage collectors have probably gotten it… and with luck, incinerated it."

Yoh bit his lip. _'Crap. Did I come too late?'_

"But you're a lucky one," the man pointed behind him.

As if on cue, a large green truck drove past them, releasing dark smog into the air. Its large wheels mashed the newspapers that had once flown in the winds.

"If you want the bear… it will probably be in that truck… accompanying it's other trashy friends. Get it? Trash? Trashy?" he laughed at his own joke.

Yoh growled then placed the paper bag into his mouth, biting on it to make sure it wouldn't fall out. He ran after the truck, mentally pleading for it to stop.

"Better run fast! The truck won't wait for you!" the landlord chortled, watching the boy slowly disappear from his sight.

**

* * *

**

"Ugh…" Anna groaned as she let her body plop down to the ground, "I can't do this!" She placed both her hands over her face, rubbing her closed eyes with her fingers. She didn't know how nor why her body was covered in sweat when all she did was stand and focus on a tree leaf. Even if her mind was set on taking on this challenge, her body was already giving out. Anna sighed, letting the rest of her body relax on the grassy field. An hour had already gone by, she was sure of it. Slowly, she closed her eyes, letting her senses adjust in the wilderness. She listened intently to the sounds of bushes rustling, birds chirping and even the faraway waterfall she was at earlier.

_"Summon a ground spirit. Relax your mind and focus only on conjuring these spirits,"_ the words of Yoh's grandmother echoed in her mind.

"Easy for her to say," the girl grumbled as she slowly got back on her feet. She closed her eyes and reopened them as if expecting the leaf to move. "One more time…"

She tightened her right fist and made a hand gesture with her left. Taking a deep breath, Anna let the peaceful sounds of her surroundings take over her mind. She could feel something tugging inside her. Her left hand tightened into another fist as it began to shake violently.

_'Is this what it's supposed to feel like?'_ she thought as her body grew hotter, _'Come on spirit… let me… summon you…'_

A strange emerald glow began to consume parts of the leaf while a small gust formed above its surface. Anna could feel her head spin from the overwhelming fatigue that continued to set on her.

'… I won't faint again.'

Shaking her head to sharpen her blurred vision, Anna blinked to see what was in front of her.

It was a small greenish figure with small white eyes. The tree leaf now resided over what would have been a mouth. With horns, arms and legs, the spirit sat there… staring back at its conjurer.

**

* * *

**

**-(TBC)-**

1 - Totally... Totally... Not true. If I was miraculously right about how each member of the Asakura family gives tests… then… cows are flying.

2 - Estimation.

I won't say anything bad about this chapter... X because no one will believe me --

ANYWAYS, I'll try to work faster on the fifth chapter… but don't expect it soon! Update progress can be found on my author page. (Scroll to the top and click on my penname) Like always reviews/flames/comments/concerns/anything else can be directed to me by reviewing or emailing.


	5. Rescue Mission II

**Author Notes**: Waiii! Reviews! mumbles wow.. people actually read this. Ermm.. skip that. I know what you're thinking! It's summer! Update faster! But … ermmm… I can't beat my laziness XP

**Thanks:** As always, thanks to **everyone** who took the time to read and review the previous chapters. And thanks to **you** for reading this chapter.

**Dedication:** To **apple-chan** for writing a motivating review and for always supporting my work no matter how much I … strongly dislike it. _cough_

**Fic Notes:** A lot of this chapter are based on **made-up** myths, so be prepared!

**Start/Finish:** 070204/073004

* * *

**

Midst of Heaven and Hell, Ch. 5

* * *

**

Yoh breathed heavily, continuing to chase the tireless vehicle. His calves were tightening painfully with each step. It has almost been 10 minutes now. Every part of him wanted to just drop and lie down until the sun rose next morning. But he knew he didn't have that much time, in fact, he was already way behind schedule… if he was on a train coming back home, he'd arrive just before 4 o'clock.

"Yoh-dono! Don't give up!" Amidamaru cheered, "It looks like the truck is slowing down… just a little further."

Sure enough, the wheels of the truck slowly slid to a complete stop. The horn blared as if it were a fanfare to signal its arrival. Yoh fell forward, falling on to his hands and knees. His mouth opened, releasing and dropping the paper bag to the floor. Beads of sweat traced his tired reddened face. He shut his eyes tight as he tried to catch his breath.

"Are you okay? Yoh-dono…"

Yoh muttered between pants, "I… really… hate… exercise…"

Amidamaru laughed, but was soon interrupted by the loud shrill beeps and the cranking gears of the truck, raising the dump lift high enough to let the garbage on it slide down into a small building that seemed to be connected to a large factory.

"Ah! Yoh-dono!" he cried, pointing furiously ahead of them.

Yoh swallowed hard as he watched piles of bagged and loose waste roll down from the truck into the large opening where who-knows-what would await it. "You've got to be kidding…"

After the truck finished dumping off its load, it sharply turned and headed off another pathway down right. The horn blared once as it trailed away, daring Yoh to enter.

"What are we going to do now?" his spirit asked, with a hint of hopelessness.

"We're going in," Yoh replied, grabbing his treats, "I'm not going to give up after chasing it for miles."

As they drew close to the building, a foul stench was evident in the air. Yoh pulled his shirt collar over his nose to filter out some of the smell. He opened the steel entrance door, finding the odour more deadly than ever.

"Gah! It… reeks!" Yoh coughed, turning his head away he wondered how anything could survive in there.

"But… Fozzie could be in here…" Amidamaru pointed out, "Somewhere in… this mess…"

Just below the platform they were on was a wide pool of trash. Everything from styrofoam cups to banana peels to old appliances. It was only a matter of time before rats would own the place.

Yoh sighed. _'It's a dirty job… but someone's got to do it!'_

"I guess… there's no other way. Amidamaru. Make sure this paper bag doesn't fall in," Yoh said, dropping the bag beside his friend. Bending his knees to gain momentum, he launched himself forward into the pile of junk.

* * *

Anna rubbed her eyes again, "Is… this a ground spirit…?" She tilted her head from side to side, examining the small creature. 

"That is correct," Kino spoke abruptly from behind, scaring the younger girl half-to-death.

Anna spun around as soon as she heard her stern voice, "K-kino…-sensei." Her heart was still racing after the sudden voice behind her.

Kino stared at the blond-haired girl for a moment. _'It hasn't even been 2 full hours… yet she still summoned the spirit within such a short time… Such talent and potential she has...'_ She quickly cleared her throat as she continued, "As a shaman, it is a requirement that you must complete the first part of the test no matter what. And now… come with me and take your spirit with you."

"Take… it with me!" Anna cried, looking from the spirit and Kino, who had already turned away. She reached for the spirit, hoping it would catch on and hop on her hand.

"Don't _take_ it with you. Even if shamans can touch spirits, avoid the habit beforehand. You don't expect to just carry spirits who are much larger in size than you are, do you? Command it to follow you," the older woman replied, continuing to walk forward with her eyes straight ahead.

_'Command it… How? Ermmm… Hope this works…'_

"Follow me…?" Anna pointed the direction for the small figure as she slowly went on ahead. Obeying, the ground spirit hopped alongside the girl. _'Whew.. that was easier than expected… But… there are still 2 more parts left in this test. Even if I passed the first… I can't get overconfident.'_

After a few minutes of travelling away from the forest and into the Asakura complex, they finally stopped in front of a row of old houses.

"The second part of the test will take place here," Kino announced, making a gesture with her hand. "Use your spirit and command it to clean every inch – the insides and outsides -- of these houses."

Anna's eyes widened as she counted the houses, _'11…12…13…14…15! 15 houses! Not to mention they all happen to be gigantic!'_

"Depending on how well and how efficiently you can command your spirit, it can take anywhere between 3 hours to over 10 hours. Good luck. And additionally, you cannot summon another spirit. You may only use the one you summoned or else your energy will be depleted. Do not help your spirit with the cleanup. I shall check up on your progress in 3 hours."

"Good luck," she trailed off as she turned away.

As Kino's image became more distant, Anna sighed, wondering how such a task could test her shaman abilities. She stared down at her spirit who seemed to wear an innocent yet clueless expression.

"Can you… clean?" the girl asked, doubting that such a small creature would be able to clean 15 large houses on such short notice.

The figure squeaked as it unexpectedly pulled out a small scrub and a filled bucket. Chirping happily, it rushed towards the house on the far left and began to scrub its outer surface.

_'If this is all there is to it. Then this task will be a breeze!'_

* * *

Yoh stretched the plastic bag so it was strained enough to be easily ripped open. He tore the bag apart, expecting a white bear looking up at him but found a small pile of fish bones greeting him instead. 

"Darn… I really thought that would be the one…" Yoh sighed as he tossed the bag aside. Wiping away the sweat from his forehead, he turned around and asked, "How many is that now, Amidamaru?"

"Anou… including the one you threw away, that would be a count of 23 bags…"

Yoh exhaled as he raised his hand to rub his eyes. He stopped when he realized his hands were covered with dark sticky patches of brown and black. Making fists with both his hands, Yoh climbed back up on the platform and lay down on the steel ground.

"Yoh-dono…" Amidamaru drifted towards his friend, hovering above him. _'It must have been tough on you… having to search single-handedly… If I had my own body, I would search with you. I can't do much in this form… but Yoh-dono…'_

The dark-haired boy suddenly sat up, his back facing Amidamaru. He closed his hands into fists as he shut his eyes tight enough to see white.

"Yoh-dono? What's wrong?" Amidamaru asked, noticing that Yoh's tightened fists were starting to shake his small body. He flew towards his master.

"Yo---"

"YOSHA!" Yoh cried as both his arms flew up, "This time, I'll definitely find Fozzie!" He stood up, reenergized and jumped into the mass pile once more. He threw the items he had already gone through further away from him so it wouldn't hinder his search. (1)

Amidamaru smiled, "Yoh-dono… Alright! This time I'll try harder too!"

Tearing bag after bag apart, Yoh was starting to become discouraged again. He knew this rescue mission would be tough… but now…

_'It's imposs—no! I can't bring myself to say that word. Nothing is ever impossible. If I haven't found it yet… then… it just means… I haven't found it! I can't give up now. I came all this way to find him. I came all this way… to bring him back. To Anna. To put a smile back on her face. To make her happy… That's right. I can't give up. If it's for her sake…'_

Tossing the bag aside, Yoh grabbed the next one. It seemed extremely heavy, like there were bricks inside of it. His heart pounded as he ripped the plastic off.

"It's just a bunch of magazines…" Yoh sighed.

"Yoh-dono… Why don't you try this bag?" Amidamaru pointed to a small bag near him.

"Any bag's worth a shot," Yoh rolled the bag on its side. It was fairly light compared to the other bags. He gulped as he tore the bag apart.

Books, clothes, newspapers. He brushed the last page of an old newspaper aside and held his breath as his gaze landed on a white teddy bear.

"Fozzie."

* * *

Anna was covered in sweat as she watched her spirit finish cleaning the 4th house. She didn't know how nor why her energy was being completely drained out of her. She was sure an hour had already past and if that were the pace she were going at, then when Kino-sensei would check up she still wouldn't have finished in time. 

Though she knew to complete the task, she only had to finish it regardless of how long it took, she was sure time would play a determining factor to whether she would be competent enough to train under Kino-sensei.

No matter what, she had to finish before Kino-sensei arrives. But the question was… how?

_'The spirit is using my energy to clean… that's why I feel drained. Now that I think about it, he seems to be moving slower and slower as well. If I can find a way to increase my energy… or find a way to manage what's left of my energy… rather… Then maybe…'_

_'I've passed the first task. I'll definitely pass this one too. Somehow…'_

_'That's right… I don't need to use my energy on the spirit's entire body, if I can only focus on his arms and legs… I can save energy and he can use some of it to speed up the process! Concentrate…'_

Anna stared at the conjured creature's arms and legs, expecting for the body parts to move faster. Instead, her vision was blurring more as each second past. Her legs shook violently as she continued to stand.

"An opposite effect, huh? Guess I can't just stare and wait for things to happen."

Closing her eyes, the girl took a deep breath. She let the sounds of Mother Nature soothe her soul and consume her doubtful thoughts. She could feel the pounding of her heart and something else that she couldn't distinguish. It was flowing throughout her whole body, giving life to every part it ran through. But it was slowly disappearing… Her energy…

'I think you're getting enough energy out of me…' Anna thought, mentally trying to find a way to reduce the flow of energy from her to the summoned spirit. 'It's time to give some back to your master!' 

She closed her fingers into a fist, grasping at what she could sense was left of her energy.

The blond-haired girl slowly opened her eyes to see that her spirit was moving faster. Her eyes couldn't even see the motion of his arms.

"It worked…!" Anna cried, finding herself impressed with her own abilities. Within moments, the spirit finished cleaning the 5th house and was almost halfway done the sixth.

Far from being seen, Kino stood behind a tall tree as she watched the young girl. She couldn't help but smile at her rising talent.

_'What a child… Is her potential limitless? Those who complete this task within 3 hours usually have had some sort of shaman training in the past. Yet this child…' _

_'She is truly something.'_

* * *

Kino slipped inside the Asakura main house. She closed the door and rested her back on it. 

_'It's been a long time since I trained an apprentice. With my age, I can only hope to train one final itako. Maybe… she'll be the last one.' _

She headed towards the stairs, hoping to rest a bit before she would check up on Anna. Kino stopped when she sensed her husband coming through the door.

Yohmei's eyes widened a little when he saw his wife. Destroying the coming silence, he cleared his throat before speaking.

"Ah… Kino, how's the test going? Do you think you'll take her under your care?"

"She shows tremendous potential. Who knows? Maybe I'll consider it," Kino replied, emphasizing the word _maybe_. "Has Yoh returned yet?"

Yohmei shook his head, "No, he hasn't. You still haven't figured out where he went off to?"

"He said he was rescuing someone… and he'll return at around 2:30… He's at least an hour late!"

"Maybe the trains are running late? It is getting near rush-hour," he pointed out.

Kino frowned as she gripped her cane and began to head up the stairs.

"Don't worry," Yohmei assured her, "He's with Amidamaru. Surely, they will be fine."

"Get Mikihisa to go to Izumo station to pick up Yoh." Kino's answer echoed down the stairs.

"As you wish," the man sighed as he left the house. He never dared to object his wife's orders. Mikihisa and his wife, Keiko lived in a slightly smaller complex beside the main house. Yoh usually slept in his parent's complex while other shaman-in-trainees slept in separate dwellings -- One for males and one for females. Since Tamao was the only trainee, she often slept at the main house. If Anna was going to train under Kino, both of them could stay in one of the separate dwellings together. Yohmei lightly knocked the door of his son's home.

"Come in," a distant voice replied behind the door. Mikihisa was sitting in front of the light, holding an open book filled with small print. Though he was still a young man, Mikihisa seemed ages older when he hid his face behind a mask. After a mysterious incident that happened in the past, his face was severely scarred and thus was hid by a mask.

Yohmei pushed open the door and watched as his son turn to face him. "Sorry. Are you busy?"

"Not exactly. Did you need help with something?"

"Your mother would like for you to go to the Izumo train station to pick up your son."

"Izumo station? Is Yoh in danger?" Mikihisa closed his book and stood up to meet his father.

"I don't believe he is. He wrote a note saying that he would be back at around 2:30. As you can probably guess, Yoh still isn't back yet."

The younger of the two brushed his chin with his fingers, "I understand. I'll go there immediately."

"Thank you. I would have gone myself if it weren't for this back. Sheesh. You young people have it easy. Setting off to go across the country just to find something."

"I take it you're talking about Yoh?"

"Of course. That idiot's been doing crazy things every since he brought Anna here."

Mikihisa chuckled, his laugh echoing within the mask. "Well, they say people do crazy things when they're in love."

"They're only five! Don't start talking about them falling in love like that."

"Wasn't that around the age you first met mother?"

Yohmei's face flushed slightly as he pointed furiously at his son, "Don't talk nonsense, just get out there and bring Yoh home!"

"Hai. Hai."

* * *

Yoh held onto Fozzie as the train headed for the final stop. _'Anna will be really happy when she sees Fozzie again… and then maybe she'll let me see her wonderful smile again.'_ He lifted the small figure and noticed a tag attached to his leg. There was small scribble over the washing instructions that read 'Fozzie.' 

"Mission: Success!" Yoh grinned, lightly tugging the tag.

Amidamaru nodded, "Anna-san will be pleased. But… we're a little late… hopefully your grandparents aren't worrying too much about us."

"It'll be fine. They'll understand. Besides it was worth it. I know it will be," the boy replied, his gaze fixated on the bear's shining eyes.

Most of his white coat was darkened by dirt and whatnot but other then that, Fozzie was in great condition. No missing eyes, nose, not even a whisker. Anyone could see that the owner of the bear took great care of him.

_"Final stop! Izumo. Passengers please exit now. We hope you had an enjoyable ride."_

The train slowed down to a complete stop before opening its doors to the leaving passengers. Yoh stepped out onto the platform, not expecting someone familiar to wave at him.

"D-Dad?" Yoh blinked, surprised to see his father somewhere else other than at home or on a mountain.

"Mikihisa-dono…" Amidamaru stared.

"You're safe," Mikihisa smiled under his mask, "Your grandparents wanted me to check up on you, since you said you would come back by 2:30." He pointed to the bear, "Who's that?"

"Fozzie. Anna's friend," Yoh beamed as he raised it up.

"So this is the friend you were rescuing? Couldn't you have just bought another one?"

"No no!" Yoh shook his head vigorously, "Even if you bought another bear that was cleaner and softer than this one, you can't replace sentimental value the owner has for it."

The older man sighed, "…You're right. But to go such a long way?"

"Distance doesn't matter. If I give Fozzie back to Anna, she'll smile again."

Mikihisa placed a hand on Yoh's head, "People _really_ do crazy things when they're in love."

"Huh?" Yoh blankly stared up at his father. He blinked several times in innocence.

"Ermm.. Never mind. Let's go home, shall we?"

The boy nodded, "I really want to congratulate her when we get back. Hopefully she's not done yet... And before that… I want to wash this little guy."

Mikihisa sniffed the air around him and added, "He's not the only one who needs a washing..."

* * *

Kino pushed her dark glasses further up the bridge of her nose. Anna had completed the second task in 2 hours and 40 minutes – just before 3 hours. Furthermore, she still had the energy to stand and move around. 

The older woman gripped the book she carried tightly, as she travelled from house to house making sure every inch was dust-free. Anna bit her lip anxiously as she waiting for her to finish. Without surprise, all of the houses were completely clean – not even a spec of dust was found.

"Good work. Indeed, you are a talented shaman as Yoh suggested," Kino said after inspecting the last house.

Anna froze, "…Yoh…" Now that she really had time to think about it, she couldn't recall ever seeing him this morning. "I-I haven't seen him today… Where is he? Is he okay?" the girl blurted out in one breath.

Kino couldn't help but chuckle at her sudden display of emotion. "I was told to tell you that he has a gift for you when you pass the test. He left early this morning to do an errand. He should be coming home very soon."

"I ... see," the girl replied, immediately regretting the words that slipped out.

"Back to the final task… This will be the most determining factor on whether or not you will be an itako. It is the shortest of them all because it is simply a validation. If you are truly meant to become an itako, then this test will be easy. On the other hand, if you don't pass this test… well… I shall explain what you can do in event that happens. Nevertheless, you are a shaman and since my grandson has taken a liking to you, you are welcome to stay here regardless of whatever happens next."

Anna was rendered speechless. She had always prepared herself for the worst and had never wished for the best. In her eyes, there was never really an option between either.

"I-I.. Thank you… Kino-…sensei.. I don't know what to say..."

"Say nothing. But do take the final task. Time is of the essence now," Kino handed the book to Anna. The cover of the book was old, bounded with leather. Wrapping around it was a set of beads, each orb shimmering slightly as the reflection of the sunlight bounced against it.

"The most distinguishing characteristic an itako has… is being able to summon spirits from anywhere earth and beyond – That would include heaven. For your final task… summon Raikaru, the Prince of Thunder. I will show you the proper motion to swing the rosary. Watch carefully, I shall only show this to you once." (2)

Kino pulled the circle of beads away from the book. She started by swinging the rosary slowly side to side with her right hand. With a sudden pull, the end of the chain flew up and into her left hand. Bringing the ends together, she intertwined the beads with her index fingers. Finishing it off, Kino flicked her fingers forward releasing the rosary into its freeform.

"Got it? Make sure you follow the chant in the book as well. You'll need the combination of both to be able to summon him. It will be written down on the fifth page in the book," the older woman instructed as she handed Anna the rosary.

Flipping to the page, Anna read through the lines several times quickly in her mind. There were also diagrams of when to say which line at which motion. Mentally taking notes, the young girl closed the book and held out the rosary.

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled. _'Here goes nothing.'_

"The first is for my father… The second is for my mother… The third is for my siblings in my hometown. We pray for your soul," Anna chanted as she swung the rosary left and right. Jerking the circle of beads to land in her left hand, she carried on, "If you can hear this voice in the extremities of the next world, rise. If you hear this rosary, come." A mist of warm air gathered in front of the girl. Gradually, small translucent orbs began to appear. Anna's fingers flew forward, freeing the set of beads. Instead of the beads dropping as gravity would force them to, the end of the rosary remained still in the air. Raising the chain of beads above her head, she swiftly brought the rosary down in contact with the floor. (3)

A blue transparent figure began to form inside the round shape into a human body. The orbs formed before began to merge itself with the growing form. Slowly, his body was becoming more outlined -- Eyes, nose, ears and eventually a mouth. Anna's eyes widened as she found herself reliving this situation days before.

The spirit roared once his figure was complete, "Who summons this Raikaru!"

Anna gripped the set of beads as she took a step backwards. This was just too much to handle…

"Raikaru-sama," Kino bowed, causing to spirit the face her, "It is this young child who has summoned you."

"Ah. Kino-san… It's been a while. But… this… young girl, you say? Do you think I am so easy to summon that I have become part of your test?"

"Not at all. You are indeed a difficult spirit to summon -- especially for novices -- which is why I chose this task to give to her. I believed in this girl's abilities."

Anna stood speechless. She swallowed hard as she continued to watch the interaction between the two.

"Don't feel ashamed that you were summoned by a young child. Be proud knowing that you were just summoned… by my future apprentice."

* * *

Yoh raised Fozzie up in the air for a final check, making sure every spot of darkness would be lightened. Although he was still slightly wet, Fozzie's fur had whitened up considerably. One probably couldn't even tell that it was years old. The boy took extra care not to take off any of its whiskers. Placing the bear up on a drying rack, Yoh took his time to wash the dirt off his own body. After he was done, he slipped into a fresh set of clothes and took Fozzie off the rack. Bringing his two jelly filled doughnuts that was sitting on the desk in the living room, he headed for the main house. 

"Yoh-sama!" Tamao cried as he entered, "Anna-sama has passed the test!"

"Really?" Yoh replied, unsurprised at the results, "I knew she would… Where is she now?"

"She's in the living room with Kino-sensei… Sh---"

"Tamao," Kino called, peeking behind the door of the living room, "Could you do me a favour and go to the storage house and grab the brown chest that has a red lock?"

"Of course, Kino-sensei," Tamao bowed courteously, before heading out the door.

Yoh stood in front of the door, "Wait, Tamao. Here." He held out the paper bag, "Take one."

"Yoh-sama…" Tamao started. She reached inside for one the doughnuts. "T-thank you…" She blushed furiously as she ran out the door.

"Tamao…" Yoh sighed as he watched her disappear. He never knew why her face turns red every time he talked to her.

"I'll be back," Kino spoke as she patted her grandson's shoulder. She headed towards her bedroom upstairs.

Yoh gulped as he headed towards the living room. He quickly hid Fozzie behind his back -- It had to be a surprise after all. Grinning, he headed into the room to find Anna sitting down by herself on the mat, staring out the window.

Breaking the silence, Yoh headed towards her and beamed, "Congratulations on passing."

The girl nodded, "Thank you…" Her eyes turned to the paper bag and Yoh's hidden arm, "What do you have in that bag? And… what are you hiding behind your back?"

"Eto… Well…" He dropped the paper bag in front of her. "TADA!" He cried as he revealed his arm holding Fozzie.

"Fozzie!" Anna immediately ran her fingers through Fozzie's white fur, reassuring herself that it wasn't a dream. Yoh released the bear into the hands of his rightful owner.

"Gomen… He's still a little wet…" Yoh laughed nervously, unsure of how Anna would react. He _did_ wash the bear without her permission…

"How… did you… "

"How did I wash it?" Yoh asked, puzzled.

"No… I mean… how did you get him… he was left there… probably thrown out too…"

"He was… But I got it back… I followed the truck that passed by."

"Why didn't you stop?" Anna asked. One hand caressed the bear softly while her other hugged it tight. "That truck could have gone for hours… You… Why…?"

"Whether it was going to be hours or days... I would have still chased it. Because… He's important to you…"

"And that's enough reason to go back there? And find him…?" She couldn't understand why he would go through such lengths to find _her_ precious item. She couldn't understand it. She couldn't understand _him_.

"If Fozzie is important to you… then he is also important to me… Your friend… is my friend… And friends help each other."

Anna blinked away the tears that threatened to fall. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she pulled Fozzie close to her.

"Thank you…" she mumbled abruptly. Unexpectedly, she got up and embraced the dark-haired boy. "Thank you…"

Yoh's face began to flush in a shade of crimson as he returned the girl's hug. Anna loosened her hold on the boy and retreated back into her seating position. A tint of red could be seen darkening on her face.

"And… I have one more thing…" the boy began as he opened the paper bag, "You seemed to really like the first one I got you. So… here's another…"

"You're full of surprises today… Asakura Yoh…" Anna took the remaining snack and tore it in half, making sure the jelly wouldn't spill. She handed him the larger half, "You deserve some too. After everything you did…"

"Hehe… thank you…"

The two ate in silence, staring out the window, waiting for the night to fall and cover the light of day. Anna stared back down at Fozzie from time to time, happy that he was once again by her side.

_'If this is happiness… Then I wish this feeling would last forever…'_

* * *

"Ooh… This is heavy. I wonder what's inside.." Tamao groaned, "If it wasn't for that doughnut that Yoh-sama gave me to fill me up, I wouldn't have enough strength to carry this." 

Struggling with the chest, the pink-haired girl decided to take a break. She leaned on the chest as she sighed, "I wonder why Kino-sensei needs it…"

Murmurs of voices could be heard coming from Mikihisa's home. Tamao couldn't help but eavesdrop as Yoh's name popped up.

"They're leaving next week?" Mikihisa asked, a little surprised. "Isn't that a little too soon?"

Yohmei sighed, "Apparently next week isn't soon enough, or that's what Kino thought."

Outside the house, Tamao crept closer to the door, curious as to see who was leaving so soon. _'Maybe whatever's in the box has something to do with this person's departure.'_

"She wants to train Anna as soon as possible," the older man continued.

"And she can't train her here? I mean, it would be better wouldn't it? Anna could stay here with Tamao and Yoh and they could all have fun here," Mikihisa pointed out.

"True. But Kino wants to train Anna to the utmost of her abilities. We would only get in their way, or at least that's what she told me."

"Okaa-san is excited, isn't she?"

"To think that such a girl would come along with powers that have the potential to rise above Kino's…" Yohmei mumbled with awe.

"But Aomori? Isn't that a little far? A one-way train ride is almost 12 hours long. And Kino is taking Anna over there next week to train?" (4)

Tamao gasped, _'Anna-sama… Is going away? It can't be…'_

Yohmei shook his head sadly, "I've already tried to convince her of another way… but she didn't listen. She did say that they might drop in on New Years for a while before continuing training."

"It'll be a long while then."

"Mmm," the older man agreed.

The pink-haired girl slowly backed away from the door. Re-carrying the heavy chest, Tamao almost stumbled on the way back to the main house.

_'Only on New Year's… That's nine months away! Should I tell Yoh-sama? It would break his heart… like it has already broken mine.'_

_'Anna-sama…'_

* * *

**Ending Notes: **"omg! Now she has _ending notes_… when will it end!" Is that something your thinking about? Anyways. Yes they are 5. Five years old. Yes. Yes they are. Wow, I have never written chapters THIS long before. I think it's time to kill the length.. don't you agree? Mwahaha. Anyways, since it's been a while after finishing the SK anime series, I have a tendency to forget important details. If you're asking why Mikihisa couldn't have just taken Yoh and summoned birds to take them home well then… you're not alone! ;; And.. For all of you who've kept up with the manga… you will notice a fatal error with my fic which I will not elaborate on. Anyways, in my magical fic world … anything can happen! 

1 - Yosha is like Yoshi. They both mean something along the lines of "Yeah!" "Alright!" or "Yes!" in Japanese.

2 – I just made that up… I could research about supernatural figures in Japan and use them in my fic… but.. I'm just a little superstitious. _cough_

3 - This part is translated from the manga (not by me).

4 - Approximation.

**Gomen** - Sorry

**Okaa-san** - Mother

Anyways, you all know how I always feel about the things I write. Reviews/Constructive Criticism/Comments/Questions/Anything/Money can all be sent through e-mailing and reviewing. _(The money was a joke… though I wouldn't mind ;) )_


	6. Goodbye

**Author Notes: **_(dodges tomatoes)_ A late update is better than no update? I've been extremely busy with school and blah the homework. Both of those things can really kill motivation. But since it's spring break.. I thought that I should probably try and get a chapter done. Anyways, I'm sure most of you have probably forgotten this fic… _(hopeful twinkle in eye_) so I don't think I have to update… too too soon.

**Thanks:** Like always, thanks to **everyone** to read and/or reviewed the previous chapters. I've read all of them and I really am thankful for all the encouragement you've all given me. Some of them even made me laugh cough**Yoh's**cough and I hope this chapter.. if you can even remember this fic (I know I barely could..) will satisfy you.. even if it's just a little. Thanks to **everyone **who put me on author alert/favorites, it really means a lot to me! And thanks to **you** for taking your time to read this chapter. Thanks for the continuing support even after all this time!

**Fic Notes**: A lot of this chapter is based on **made-up** myths, so be prepared! And… the **angst **genre on this fic is brought back to life in this chapter.

**Start/Finish:** 081304/033105

* * *

**

Midst of Heaven and Hell, Ch. 6

* * *

**

The sound of rain falling could be heard anywhere within the Asakura complex. Accompanied with the never-ending downpour were the occasional flashes of lightning and roars of thunder. Tamao watched the drops of liquid crawl down the outside surface of her window. This day seemed well portrayed by the current weather. Gloomy. Sad. Dark.

The pink-haired girl brushed away the tears that were slowly reforming in her eyes. She had debated since yesterday night whether she could bring herself to become the bearer of bad news. A knock softly rapped on her door, startling the young girl back to her senses.

"Tamao…?" Yoh's muffled voice called through the door.

Sprinting towards the door, Tamao caught her reflection in the mirror and double-checked to make sure the remaining tears had already dried. She slid the door open, revealing her two friends behind it.

"Yoh-sama… Anna-sama."

As usual, Anna looked calm and collected. If she knew about her departure, she certainly did not show it. Yoh stood beside her, wearing his ever-so-addicting grin. For a moment, Tamao could sense something between the two… some sort of quality that the two carried that complimented well with one another... but she couldn't put her finger on it.

The boy cried cheerfully as he pointed towards the window, "Come on, the rain won't wait for us!"

The girls exchanged questioning looks with each other as they followed him outside. Streaks of lightning illuminated the skies, sending chills running down Tamao's back. She stopped as her teeth chattered with slight fear.

"What are we doing outside…?" She folded her arms, creating friction between her palms and her lower arms trying to regain the heat that was lost in the cool air surrounding them. "It's raining… so it'll be cold… and---"

"Relax!" Yoh assured her, "It'll be fine. I promise."

He opened the door, welcoming the fresh rainy scent that filled the atmosphere. Running down the stairs and into the backyard he quickly galloped across the puddles, motioning for his friends to join him.

The pink-haired girl gasped, shouting over his laugher, "Yoh-sama! You'll catch a cold… I don't think this was a good idea!"

Anna raised an arm to shield her vision from the rain. She nodded along with Tamao's advice, half wondering if Yoh had lost his marbles.

"C'mon, you guys!" The boy cried, frantically waving for them to come over. When the girls refused to expose themselves any further from the rainfall, Yoh smirked and launched himself into a big puddle just in front of them, splashing the two with cool muddy water. Tamao shirked as the icy liquid ran down her body, covering her with goosebumps. The blond on the other hand, shook her head vigorously whipping the droplets away and glared at the boy.

Standing her ground, she gritted her teeth, "Tamao." Her tone matched that of a captain sending orders to their crew.

The pink-haired girl rubbed her eyes and nodded. Facing the boy with a hinted look of anger, she shouted, "Yoh-sama! We're going to get you!"

The pair ran towards the dark-haired boy at full speed, jumping into puddles deep enough to trigger big splashes towards the boy. Yoh laughed, dodging the waves that came after him. Laughing, he stuck out his tongue at the two and headed further across the yard.

"You guys can't catch me!" he called out. He raised his arms as if he were a bird gliding across the skies.

The girls followed him trying to catch up with the boy. They couldn't help but feel uplifted… it was a contagious feeling. Forgetting their wet feet and sore muscles, they chased each other around, knowing that only one thing mattered.

They were having fun.. and that's all they cared about.

* * *

Kino's gaze trailed across the three children standing before her. They were all soaked from head to toe, dripping like wet towels on a clothesline. Unlike the two girls standing beside him, Yoh was a complete mess. Traces of dirt covered his once tan cheeks, his wet hair sticking to his face like natto, his fingers were slightly tinted blue probably due to neglected numbness over a long period of time – yet despite all of that, he beamed at his grandmother. (1)

The aforementioned sighed, shaking her head lightly. "Hurry and go grab… no wait. Never mind, I'll go and get them. The three of you stand absolutely still, I do not need a river flowing inside my home."

Yoh grinned, "Hehe. Hai!"

The 3 stood as they were told, almost like stone monuments, side-glancing one another.

"I wonder if she's mad. She didn't look happy seeing us all wet.." Tamao pondered, slightly uneasy as a list of consequences generated in her mind.

"It'll be okay. I mean, what's the worse punishment we could get?"

"Other then the addition of more training, she could starve us by taking away dinner… tomorrow's breakfast and lunch. She could make us clean out every square inch of every house that is within the complex and---"

Kino smiled as she handed the pink-haired girl a towel, "Well if you really insist on doing all that…" She held out the remaining towels to Yoh and Anna.

Reddening instantly, Tamao whispered a quiet 'thank you' before drying her damp hair.

"Dinner's already prepared so run and change out of your wet clothes before eating," spoke the elder itako as she slowly headed towards the dining room. She did not have to repeat herself again before she heard three sets of thumping footsteps running down the other direction.

* * *

Taking in the scent of rainy dew in the air, Yoh yawned lazily as he settled himself down on the front porch of the main house. The stars were already spread across the dark sky, illuminating an entrancing glow.

"It's pretty isn't it?" he asked abruptly, effectively startling the girl standing behind him. "Come sit out here… that way the roof doesn't cover it up."

Anna took the suggestion and retaining a healthy distance, sat beside him. She stole a glance at him – cheerful and at ease. Completely at peace with himself. How she'd wish she could obtain even a portion of that calmness and contentment for herself. But it was impossible.. how could she feel at rest after everything that's happened. The only world she knew of was the small town filled with closed-minded people… fearing what they couldn't comprehend… and what they didn't even try to understand. In anxiety, they grip their weapons and in fear, they use them to erase every trace of what they defined as unknown. She couldn't understand the differences between her and them. Wasn't it normal to see spirits co-existing invisibly along side with humans?

Unconsciously, she curled her fingers inward and gripped the hem of her shirt tightly.

Yoh noticed the girl's uneasiness and sat up, his body appearing to be relaxed yet at the same time it was tense and awkward. As if reading her mind, he took a deep breath and began, "I've always wondered what it was to be normal."

The last word grabbed her attention, her heart and her breath all at once.

"I couldn't understand… Wasn't seeing spirits normal? But I was wrong. I was different. No matter how hard I tried to fit in… No matter how much… I wanted to be normal… but I just wasn't. And I don't know why it hurts… But to know that you can't be just like everyone else… It hurts…"

He turned to face her, smiling weakly… It was genuine carefree smile… yet it was filled with so much… pain.

Anna clasped her hands tightly, wondering how the boy could still manage to smile after all that.

Yoh sighed as he looked up towards the night sky, "Everyone stares at you like you're different. Like you don't belong in this world. But stuff like that can't be avoided… All shamans live with the fact that they can never truly fit in with the human world. When you don't belong with everyone else… you start to think – even if it's for a second – whether or not it would even matter.. if you didn't exist in this world. Would the people you see everyday even notice that you are no longer there? Would they care if they knew you weren't coming back? You know the feeling… right? When I first saw your eyes… They were filled with loneliness. Just like mine were… Like all shamans… I'm sure you went through the pain…"

The girl bit her lip. It was true. Everything… Though now something in her heart nudged for her to carry on with her own dark tale. From the moment her eyes met his… there was a sense of trust… Now that he had revealed his thoughts – so similar to her own – there was not a single person in the world she could have trusted more than him. The boy who had led her out of the dark world and into a place of light. The one… who had taught her that happiness wasn't just a hopeful word… it was an existing feeling. A warm fulfilling feeling.

The dark-haired boy looked at her with curiosity, "Anna?"

"I…" She paused, unsure of how to continue now that she had started. "I once… summoned… a demon. A big demon. I don't know how… or why… But… I could hear… everyone's thoughts… and… none of it made sense. It was hurting my head… and when I realized what happened… A demon was in front of me. Destroying the village… Taking apart everything in sight. No one was killed.. but it caused a lot of damage.. Ever since then… the townspeople hated me. And the thoughts I heard had all disappeared.. I guess it was a one-time happening. "

Exhaling, she watched how Yoh would respond. A part of her heart was a little more at ease now that her big secret was revealed. But how would Yoh take all of this in? He wouldn't… be suddenly afraid of her right? I mean… the thoughts were all gone… so how can a demon be conjured now? Yoh definitely didn't help repress her growing fears by staring at the twinkling stars above them. In fact, he remained silent for a long time… letting silence have it's own monologue.

_'Is he… afraid of me now? Or does he ha----'_

"It must be tiresome," the boy simply replied.

The sudden reply shocked the young girl from her thoughts. She swallowed hard, trying to figure out what he meant by that.

Turning to look her square in the eye, Yoh spoke gently, "To go through what others feel… To realize their never-ending desires... It must be stressful… Ne?"

The blonde's eyes widened, letting his response sink into her mind... he… he had understood. He realized the anguish… and was not frightened by it. To finally have someone… understand the painful emotions she had tightly bottled up inside long ago…

The girl gritted her teeth, willing herself not to cry… How could such simple words start breaking free her hidden feelings? The emotions she never knew existed within her.. The feeling of agony... and suffering…

She lowered her head, biting down her lip to stop her shaky voice. "Yes. It was painful. Very… painful." Her hands tensed, gripping her knees tightly.

Yoh tentatively reached for her hand, hoping to comfort her somehow. He knew he made her uncomfortable… and that was the last thing he wanted to do. However, instead of feeling consoled the girl gasped, wincing at the sudden contact between them.

Slightly flushed, Yoh quickly pulled back his hand, mumbling a small 'G-gomen.'

"No, it's okay.." She could still feel the lingering tingles left from his touch. The years have taught her that even the slightest physical contact with another being meant pain. Despite a completely different living situation, she couldn't stop her habitual reflexes.

"…I—err… Y-you must be t-tired… right? I'll… walk you b-back to your room?" stuttered Yoh, who immediately stood up, hoping to avoid furthering his embarrassment. He chuckled lightly, heading off down the pathway that connected the porch to all the outer bedrooms.

Placing her other hand over the spot where his fingers met her skin, she followed him quietly.

* * *

"Goodnight, Anna."

"Goodnight." The door closed with a soft click between them.

Tamao anxiously exhaled as she heard Yoh's footsteps coming towards her. It was now or never. She held her breath, "Y-Yoh-sama?"

The boy stopped in his tracks, turning to face the source of question. "What's up?"

"H-has your grandmother… talked to you yet?"

"Yep. She said that because we left a big puddle near the front door, we have to wake up extra early tomorrow t---"

"…No… not about today," she tightened her fists under her sleeves. It will break him… she knew it. But it's best that he finds out and tries to cope with it now then learn about it later and regret not doing enough in the end. "…A-about… Anna-sama…"

After looking at his innocent gaze, she knew she couldn't bear to see that twinkle in his eyes to fade. Her eyes slid shut, "A-Anna-sama is… Anna-sama… is leaving to train with Kino-sensei in Aomori!"

No response. Only crickets could be heard from a distance.

"Y-Yoh-sama?"

Corners of the boy's mouth twitched upwards, "Heh…" Tamao saw him look far off with his head low so his hair draped out in front of his eyes, covering what could have been a display of emotion. "She's too good." Her eyes met his dark ones – completely void of emotion.

"I'm s-sorry! I.. I thought it would be… good if I told you first… before anyone else did… Was I wrong?"

"No… It's alright. Thank you for caring…" Then a thought hit him hard, "Does Anna know about this?"

"I'm… not sure… though I don't think so…"

"Sou ka.." Sighing, he continued, "But who would've thought that Anna… would be able to make _that_ kind of impression on obaa-chan. She's amazing… I can't even measure it…" (2)

A smile was plastered on his face… yet his eyes deceived him… revealing his true feelings of loss and sadness.

Just a little further from where they were standing, a door slid carefully to a close, leaving an inaudible click behind.

* * *

The next morning, contrary to what everyone was feeling, was brightly lit and sunny. There was not a single cloud that was on its way to cover the sun high above the complex. Gathered around the low table, the members of the Asakura family (including their newest addition) sat still, eating and enjoying their meal in silence.

Mikihisa and Yohmei left almost as soon as they were finished, respectively claiming that they had training to start or errands to run. Keiko took off shortly after to help out with a wedding ceremony for one of her old friends. As the miko slipped out of the dining room, Kino placed her chopsticks down and faced the three children in front of her.

"I have something to announce to the three of you."

Yoh continued to chew and swallow his food, before he took in another mouthful of rice with his chopsticks.

Tamao looked away, suddenly finding the door extremely fascinating. She hoped either Yoh's mother, father or grandfather had left something important in this room and needed to go through those doors to retrieve it.

Anna, calm and steadily, raised her cup to take a small sip of her tea.

"Anna. Three days from now, I'll be taking you to Aomori to train your itako powers. I do not know when we'll return… As for the two of you… Yoh and Tamao… don't worry, I'll try and keep in touch with Yohmei and the rest."

_'Three days…'_ Yoh repeated in his head. Even if Tamao had told him about this ahead of time… How could three days ever be enough? How could he befriend someone for about a week and then let them go so suddenly? Still, he kept his face stoic as he let his gaze travel down to the floor and back up to the girl beside him.

Whether she knew or not, Anna brought her teacup down and placed it on the plate with a clink, as if she hadn't heard anything remotely important within the last five minutes. Everyone watched the young girl for a reaction. Something…. Anything that would tell them that she had heard the dismaying news.

When her head finally tilted up, Yoh and Tamao couldn't help but sharply inhale.

"I understand," she simply responded without a sign or tone of emotion hidden.

And only silence replied.

* * *

Over the next few days, Yoh and Tamao tried their best to make Anna's final days with them memorable. But even with newly made memories… they knew it would come to an end. Maybe it was even the thought of the end that ruined all of the cherished moments. For after every laugh… after every smile… there was silence. And in those times, how could they not help but think about the reason why they were all trying so hard?

..To ease the pain that would soon follow…

..To try and stop the loneliness that was already lying in wait..

Three days turned into hours… and the hours became seconds… And before anyone knew it… the day arrived… unwelcomed and loathed.

It was cloudy the day Kino and Anna left. Not to mention the ever-thickening fogs that accompanied it. Nothing could be seen further then a few meters. From the window of the main house, dust-like clouds covered the main gate and everything beyond that.

Tamao hugged the blonde tightly. "I'll miss you, Anna-sama. Please be careful."

Anna made a small smile and gave her a squeeze of reassurance, "Don't worry. I will."

Mikihisa scratched his head, "Are you sure you want to leave when you can't even see your hands in front of you?"

"Hah! Don't think for a second that fog will keep us both here. I've made it through much worse conditions," Kino retorted. "Besides you're exaggerating…"

"Alright, if you're sure then…" Keiko bowed, "Have a safe journey, okaa-san."

"Thank you. Take care of everyone while I'm away."

"I will."

The traveling duo headed down from the porch and turned back. "Well then," the elder itako started. "Yohmei… make sure that Yoh doesn't slack off from his training."

The boy chuckled, "I'll work hard…! I promise."

"Hmmf."

Yoh rushed ahead with a big grin on his face. When the distance between them became too close for her comfort, Anna took a few steps back. She gulped as the boy continued to close in on her. He wrapped his arms around Anna and pulled her towards him, hugging her firmly. "I'll be waiting for you… Anna."

The girl stood still – shock stiffening every part of her body.

"I'll miss you…"

"..Yoh.." She couldn't resist the smile that crept on her face. She returned the embrace, absorbing the warmth from his body.

Reluctantly releasing her, Yoh flashed a smile, "The next time we meet… you're going to become really strong! That's why… you shouldn't worry so much."

Anna nodded, wishing she could somehow pry off the invisible hand that had grasped her throat. Kino's hand touched her shoulder and she knew she couldn't delay it any longer.

"I'll… miss you too… I'll miss everyone here." She took his hand and looked straight into his eyes, "Thank you… again.. for everything."

Yoh grinned as he gave her hand a squeeze, "Be careful."

Their hands dropped to their sides, suddenly becoming lifeless without each other's touch. Kino turned away and began to head off into the fog. Anna followed immediately, not wanting to prolong yet another painful experience.

The dark-haired boy waved vigorously, hoping to see the face of the blond-haired girl once more… even though he knew his request was impossible… for then he'd want to see it once again afterwards.. and then again after that.

He watched her figure walking on… fading… fading… until she was finally consumed by the dark gloomy gray cloud that would separate them for what would seem like eternity.

**

* * *

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**-(TBC)-**

**Ending Notes:**

(1) – If I recall, natto is fermented soybeans that are highly nutritious and highly sticky :P Think a gluey edible.. paste.

(2) – Sou ka means "I see" in this context.

Anything flaws you found in this fic are probably due to my laziness in proofreading it again. In addition to that, any inconsistencies that you may find are solely due to the fact that even I, myself.. cannot recall what I've written in the past.. so.. deepest apologies to that as well.

Again.. sorry it took so long to finish… I'll **_try_** to write the next one sooner.

Comments/Concerns/ Flames/Questions/Criticism can all be directed to me through e-mail or by review.


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